Frozen Flame
by GhostfaceTV
Summary: [F/F] [INT] [AU] [REQ] [VL] Tori goes on a vacation to Alaska and a stranger finds her way to Tori's cottage. Another run-in resparks the interest and the two of them take a road trip towards a different life. Extended oneshot by request.
1. Chapter 1

For a long time Tori had wanted to get out of Hollywood. The city was nice, but the constant energy and glamor got to be a bit much after a while. Hours stuck in traffic jams. Long lines at the grocery store. So many things that should be afternoon errands became whole day outings, and she didn't feel like she could handle it much longer without a break. Her parents had split up and she'd gotten used to that. Mrs. Vega started seeing Tori's dad's old work partner, which Tori thought seemed a little cruel. They say though the heart wants what the heart wants, and you can't exactly ignore it if you want to be happy. Gary came over a couple of times a week for dinner or to watch movies and have 'family time.' It seemed like Mrs. Vega was trying to ease the girls, Tori and her sister Trina, into a new change, which Tori guessed would be Gary moving in. She didn't exactly love the idea of Gary actually moving in and being there all the time, but it wasn't her decision.

Summer vacation had been in full swing for about two weeks. School was out and California life was in. Surfing, longboarding, swimming and tanning. Concerts, movies, parties. All the things that made teenage life bearable outside of getting a dreaded education. Tori wasn't particularly interested in engaging in any of these activities, though. Lately the group had been trying to get her to go bowling or hang out for a group sleepover at someone's house, but the feeling just wasn't there. After a few days into the third week she felt like if something didn't change she would flip a lid, and the idea of a getaway popped into her head. Mrs. Vega was in the kitchen setting up for dinner, so Tori headed down to start a losing conversation.

"Hey mom."

"Hey sweetie, you hungry?"

"Yeah. Listen is Gary coming over tonight?"

"I haven't asked him but if you would like him to I can call and ask."

"Sure."

Mrs. Vega seemed happy about Tori's sudden change of attitude on the subject. Tori grabbed plates and set the table while her mom finished cooking and brought pans in behind her, setting them on hotpads. A spicy, hearty chili with sweet rolls and saltines made her mouth water, and she grabbed the spoon inside the pot to stir the chili up a bit. It was nice and chunky, and the smell brought a smile to her lips.

Soon enough Gary had shown up at the house, flashing a bright smile at Tori. Apparently Mrs. Vega had told him the reason of her calling him over at the last minute, and he seemed pleased that Tori had asked for him. It had been a rough transition with Mr. Vega moving out and switching to a different partner at work. Him and Gary didn't talk anymore, and he didn't show up at the house either. If Tori or Trina were to spend time with him they would meet at his new apartment or at a restaurant. It didn't seem fair that after how hard he'd worked over all the years her dad had to move out and get a small apartment somewhere by himself while Gary got to waltz into their house like he was meant to be there, but Tori wasn't very learned in marriage matters so she didn't bother speaking up.

Trina came downstairs at the sound of the door, peaking around the corner to see who'd arrived. She was usually waiting for some boy to stop by and ask her out, but none ever did. At the sight of Gary Trina scoffed, not particularly because she didn't like him, but mostly because he wasn't who she was looking for, then treaded over to the table and took her seat. Tori and Gary did the same, and Mrs. Vega as well a few minutes later.

"Thanks for the invite, Tori. Looks great, Hol."

Mrs. Vega smiled and ladled him out some Chili.

"Well I wanted to ask you about that cottage you have up in Fairbanks."

"Oh really, why's that?"

"Well," Tori started, taking a drink of water before getting into it, "I've been dying to get away from here for a while now, and I was wondering if I could possibly stay there for a week during summer vacation?"

"No way" Mrs. Vega interjected, shaking her head as she swallowed a bite of roll. "There's no way you're going all the way out there by yourself for a week."

"Now hold on Holly," Gary started, winking at Tori quickly before he continued, "it's not out in the middle of the bush. It's part of a campground. There's a game warden that's there all year 'round to watch out for the campers and fix any issues that arise."

"Still, I don't think she's old enough to take that much responsibility by herself. Not yet."

"I'm all for it" Trina said, mouth full of bread. "Get her out of here for a while, give us some bonding time."

"Shut up, Trina" Tori said, giving her a dirty look.

"I think it might be good for her. Get some time away from the city. Connect with nature, have some alone time to collect her thoughts before senior year. Give her the chance to have some responsibility and stretch her legs for adulthood."

Gary kept his eyes locked on Mrs. Vega but Tori knew he could see her out of the corners. Her mom mulled everything over, spooning a couple of bites of chili and smacking her lips appreciatively. Tori couldn't help but think that this was all just Gary's way of getting on Tori's good side, so when the move came she would be a little more accepting of the change. That didn't matter now though, as long as he helped get her into that cabin. She would deal with the details when she came back.

"Well, I suppose it might be good for her. Get away from the twenty first century for a bit."

"You're not seriously thinking of letting her go are you?" Trina asked with a disgusted look on her face. "You never let me do anything, and you're gonna let her leave the country?"

"Alaska is part of the United States, Trina" Tori laughed.

"Whatever, this is ridiculous. You can't let her go."

"You just said you wanted me to get out of here for a while."

"Yeah well I said that so it would be a little bit extra string when mom said no."

"You're such a good sister, I'm glad I have you." Tori scrunched her nose at Trina and turned back to her meal.

Mrs. Vega finished her roll and took a drink of wine, looking back and forth from Tori to Gary. "All right, you can go. On one condition."

"Seriously!?" Trina belted out, getting up from the table so fast she almost tipped her chair over.

"You have to take an AP class next year."

"Any one I want?"

"Yep, as long as it's AP."

"Deal. So Gary, you think I could use the place next week?"

"Sure. I'll call the warden and have him set it up, should be ready for you to arrive Sunday night."

Three more days and Tori would be free. The vision in her mind of snow-topped cabins with fireplaces and hot cocoa made it hard to restrain herself. She called the group and told them of her good news, and everyone seemed excited about it except for Jade, for some weird reason. The only thing now was that Tori didn't have a lot of winter-type clothes since it never really got below 60, so a shopping trip was in order for the weekend. A small savings had been collected over time from extra allowance and stuff that would neatly cover the trip.

A few days later and Tori was ready to go. Gary had opted to cover her plane ticket, no doubt another way to get in her good graces. Trina was still as moody as ever and ducked out from riding to the airport, saying a quick goodbye at the house. Gary and Mrs. Vega both drove Tori and hung around while she claimed her ticket and checked her bags, then said their goodbyes before she headed to her gate. LAX was huge, and the amount of people in the terminals was insane. Families headed for vacation spots and business people rushing to meetings, checking their watches and toting briefcases like you see on TV. The smells all bunched together of coffee and fast food made Tori's stomach growl, and she checked her bag for cash. Finding a ten dollar bill she headed up to a Subway and grabbed a six inch BLT, then found a place to sit and eat.

Soon enough the boarding for her flight started and people filed into the plane one by one, storing things in the overhead compartment and buckling their little seatbelts. Tori pulled out her iPod and found something to listen to, kicking back in her seat to relax for the flight. It would be about a six hour trip with one stop in Seattle on the way. The Flight Attendant came by with the warning sheet in her hand, pointing to the emergency exits over the wings. Tori was a couple rows behind so she didn't have to worry about it.

The layover wasn't too bad. A little kid sat down next to her in the seats by the next gate, playing Angry Birds on a cell phone. Tori watched as the kid smiled and laughed when the birds flew, squealing with delight when he made the next level. Suddenly aware that there was no adult around, she wondered where the child's parents were.

"Hey, is your mom or dad around here somewhere?"

"My sister was with her boyfriend. They were just sitting around sucking face as usual so I left to get away from them."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Yeah, back there somewhere." He pointed behind them without looking up from his game.

Tori felt like she should get the little guy back to his sister so she wouldn't freak out. "Hey, take me to her, I'd kinda like to meet her."

"She's probably still busy."

"Well, if you take me with you maybe she'll stop when we get there and you won't have to watch them do that icky stuff anymore."

The boy contemplated this for a minute, then got up from the chair. "Okay, let's go."

Tori followed as the boy led her from one side of the airport to the other, passing about thirty gates. They reached the far the end of the floor where all the windows were to see outside were located in that area. The boy turned left and headed for the first to last gate, pointing out his sister and her boyfriend who were, as he had said, all over eachother making out. Tori shook her head at the sight. People that couldn't keep their hands off eachother were cute, but there's a time and place for everything.

"Excuse me" Tori said, standing about two feet away from the couple.'

"What?"

"I just brought your brother back from gate ninety two."

"The hell you doin' way down there I told you to stay here!"

"You don't pay attention to me so I left to find someone who would."

Tori was amazed at the last statement. The boy couldn't have been older than seven or eight, but he sure as hell wasn't taking any shit from someone who didn't think he was worth their time.

"Well stay here. If I have to come lookin' for you I'm gonna be pissed."

"You should try leaving your boyfriend alone for a minute and maybe play with him." Tori said, hands on her hips.

"Alright skinny you can go now."

Tori rolled her eyes and knelt down next to the boy. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Devon."

"Well Devon, I don't leave for another hour so I'll hang out with you if you want."

"Sure, that sounds fun."

Devon's sister had gone back to her boyfriend and wasn't even aware that he and Tori had left. There wasn't a whole lot to do in the airport except walk around and look at the various gift shop items. They had stopped and ridden the moving walkway back and forth probably a dozen times until a kind-faced guard told them they regrettably had to stop for safety reasons. Instead Tori spotted a Dippin' Dots and pulled Devon over to it, and they grabbed some ice cream.

"Thanks lady. My sister never does anything like this for me."

"She seems kinda mean."

"Yeah, but our parents died so she's in charge."

"I'm sorry. That must be hard."

"Yeah, it's okay though." He smiled and turned back to his game.

Tori hung out with the little man until she had to head back to her gate for boarding. They said their goodbyes and she felt guilty for leaving him with his sister. He was all smiles though, so that made her feel better. The walk back to gate ninety two was quick and boarding had already started. Tori slid the handle out of her carry-on and walked to the line when her row was called, then headed in and got settled for the second part of the journey.

It was already snowing lightly when they touched down at FAI. The sight of it excited Tori immensely. A smile crept over her face and stayed there for the good part of five minutes as she stared out the window, watching the little flakes fall at random. It was getting late in the day and the want to get up to the cabin before dark was still there, so she pulled her carry-on along to the baggage claim and waited for her suitcase. It came round a few minutes later and she took it, heaving it over the edge to get out of the way. The weather panel on the wall next to her read negative twenty four degrees. The thought of just having left seventy degree LA a few hours ago to a ninety degree temperature drop was insane. Luckily, Gary had given some tips on what to buy during the shopping spree. Tori had picked up a super warm North Face coat that was rated for negative forty, so it would be just fine for now. She fished it out of her suitcase and zipped it up tight, tucking her scarf down inside. FIA was a busy airport so there was no trouble hailing a cab. The driver helped to get the bags in the trunk and got in, starting the meter.

"Where to, miss?"

"I have an address, one sec." Tori dug through her purse and found a slip of paper with the address on it. "It's 14 County Way. Pinetop Cottages."

"Ah yes, out for a little R&R?"

"Yeah. I'm from LA so it's nice to see some snow."

"LA, huh? I'd like to go out that way sometime."

"You should. It's pretty nice. A cool seventy degrees when I left."

"Must be crazy for you here, then."

"Yeah it's a bit of a shock but I like it."

The conversation continued for the ninety minute drive to the outskirts of town. The snow blanketed everything in sight, like a giant white gleaming coat of paint. The sun reflected brightly and the snow sparkled like diamonds. There weren't many buildings around and the houses were starting to get spread further apart the longer they drove. The road was well cared for in the city, but out that way it turned into dirt and the ride got a lot more interesting. Black ice and potholes, snow drifts and icicles hanging over the roadway were the most immediate threats, but the driver seemed well versed in the terrain and navigated like a professional.

The sun was going down a bit and the sky filled with color. It was nothing like LA. There was so much open sky that it looked like it would just go forever. The colors blended together and the clarity made them shine brightly, seeming more full and vibrant than they did in the smog-ridden city of angels. The cab pulled up to the front of the cottage and stopped. Tori got out and took in her surroundings. What seemed like thousands of huge spruce trees stretched as far as the eye could see. There was a shed around back of the right side of the cottage that looked like it probably held firewood and a generator. A snowmobile trail led up to it so probably one of those as well. The cab driver pulled the bags out of the trunk and headed for the porch, walking up the few steps and setting them by the door.

"Well looks like you're all set."

"Thank you. What's the damage?"

"Let's go look."

The two headed to the car and the cab driver got in to check the meter.

"Ninety bucks."

"Okay, one sec." Tori dug through her purse and found a one hundred dollar bill that was specifically for cab fare and handed it to the man, refusing the change as a tip.

"Thank you, miss. Be careful up these parts by yourself. The weather can get real nasty real fast, so make sure when it's still decent out that you got everything you need."

"Speaking of which, I'm guessing there's a snowmobile in that shed?"

"Yep. Sometimes we get real bad storms out here and it makes the roads unusable, so each cottage has to have a snowmobile or ATV as a means of transportation."

"Okay. And if I need anything where do I go?"

"The warden is about four miles that way," he pointed out to their right, "and just past him is a general store. They have food and blankets and all that good stuff. Books, too."

"Alright. Thank you so much for the help."

"Anytime, miss. Have fun out here."

The cab drove off leaving Tori alone. She spun around again and tilted her head back towards the sky, soaking in the frozen air and freedom. The wind bit hard at her exposed skin so the fresh air would have to wait a while, at least until she could get better dressed. Snowflakes fell lightly all around, adding to the already substantial amount of snow in the area. There was no one around for miles, since the nearest cottage was about four miles up the trail. Tori grabbed the keys from her carry-on and opened the door, dragging her bags in behind her.

The inside was very warm and cozy looking. A fire roared in the fireplace, and the living area looked like it had been cleaned up a bit. There was a large sectional sofa close to the fireplace and a recliner next to it, with a glass table with a sturdy mahogany support system next to them. The table rested on some kind of animal pelt rug, which she guessed was a bear since it was brown and large. The rooms were on the right side wall, with the bathroom in the back and the bedroom next to it. The kitchen was in the back left corner, with wrap-around counters and a large dining room table a few feet away to the left of the couch. Some paintings hung on the walls, mostly scenic stuff that looked like it was from around the area. A bit of gear was thrown together in a milk crate next to the door with snow shoes, a couple walking poles and a water bottle. Upon further inspection Tori found a note on the counter in the kitchen area.

_Tori_

_Gary called me up and I got the place up to speed for you. Started a fire a couple hours before you're meant to be here so it would be warm. There's coffee and some other stuff in the cupboard above the coffee pot. If you need anything put the radio on 670 and give me a shout._

_-Dick_

The floors were a dark colored wood and made of thick, sturdy slabs. Everything inside seemed to be very quality made, old world craftsmanship. The frames of the paintings were ornate and very detailed, as well as the mirror on the wall in the bathroom. There was a large free standing bathtub with gleaming gold fixtures situated in the middle of the floor. A really comfortable looking robe hung on the back door. Tori grabbed her toiletries from her suitcase and situated them on the bathroom sink, separating the toothbrush and paste from the soap and lotions. Next was to unpack clothing which fit nicely into the large light wood dresser in the bedroom. The dresser stood on the wall shared with the bathroom, opposite the grand four-post bed. It looked big enough to hold six people comfortably, and Tori smiled at the thought of being able to spread out comfortably that night. She left the door open so heat from the fireplace could get in easily and strode to the couch, laying down on the large end to stretch out a bit.

Jet lag had crept up and claimed Tori as another countless victim. She slept in front of the fireplace for about five hours, waking up around midnight. It was pitch black outside, way darker than it ever got in the city. The depth of the darkness actually scared her a bit. It seemed like it was almost solid, like trying to navigate would be impossible without a giant spotlight of some kind. The bright side though was the stars. Visible over the treeline from the windows by the dining room table were millions of stars, coating the sky like glitter. Tori stared at them in awe for a minute, remembering back to a middle school trip to the Planetarium. They were shown so many stars and constellations that they never got the chance to see because of the city lights. But here, out in the vast open country, it seemed like there were more stars than anyone knew existed.

Eventually after waking up she decided to grab a book, hoping that maybe she'd read a bit and get tired again so she wouldn't get a messed up sleeping schedule. There were only a few books in the suitcase, but they were her favorites. She decided on 'Partials' by Dan Wells, a sci-fi book about a teenage girl stuck in a war against genetically modified humans. A few chapters in her eyes got droopy again, so she marked her spot and marched into the bedroom, falling clumsily onto the huge bed. Not even a minute later she was out again, and wouldn't come back to Earth until the next morning.

The fire had gone out most of the way by the time Tori woke up. Inside the living room area was warmer than the bedroom, so she grabbed a blanket and moved to the couch, picking up her book again. Before she started she stoked the fireplace and added a few more logs, noticing the pile was getting low. A trip outside later in the afternoon when the sun was up was on the agenda. The warmth from the coals and her blanket made her slow and fuzzy again, and the comfortable cushions made reading even more enjoyable. A world where genetically modified humans had been created to fight a war and eventually turned on their human creators, leaving the innocent civilians to die or starve in the aftermath. Tori wondered what it would be like to be stuck in an apocalypse situation. She was so far from home and anything she normally cared about. It could all be gone in an instant and she'd never know. Being this far out in the wilderness with enough supplies for a week was relaxing, but the thought that something could happen to her family and she wouldn't be around to lend a hand was somewhat worrying.

Growing tiresome of reading she got up off the couch and dressed in actual clothes. An Adidas sweatsuit with thick wool socks. It was a light gray color, which clashed with pretty much everything around her. Most of the colors in the cottage were dark. Whiskey red wood and lots of browns and dark greens. Outside couldn't be any more different, though. The snow was amazingly bright and she was reminded suddenly of a story from freshman year about a man that got lost on a winter hike due to snow blindness. The thought of having to go into town for supplies or something was starting to sound a bit scary, especially since she'd never driven a snowmobile before.

Next on the list was to go out to the storage shed and grab some more wood. Usually a small stack would keep a house warm for a while, but in this area where the temperatures got dangerously low it was like the heat got sucked out through the walls regardless of insulation. That meant that on a lot of nights you'd go through quite a bit of wood keeping the fire up. Tori slipped her boots on and opened the front door, laughing a bit when she found it had snowed about 8 inches overnight. She grabbed the shovel from inside by the door and started clearing a small path to the shed which she could use to transport the wood. Shoveling was hard work, something that she wasn't used to in the city. After only a short time a sweat had built up under her jacket, and she was reminded again of stories where people had died of hypothermia from exerting themselves and having the sweat freeze. It wasn't too long before the path was done though, and the shed unlocked easily. A few trips with arms full of logs built a decent pile on both sides of the furnace, filling the stocks nicely. Last thing was to check the generator and make sure there was enough gas in it. A separate little building attached to the side of the cottage and stored the water heater. The generator was very big but curiously didn't make a whole lot of noise. A few cables connected to it and went underground to the cottage, supplying power to the place. The gauge on the front of the generator said three quarters, and the sticker placed next to it said that a full tank would last 72 hours. She made a mental note to check on it again the next night and headed back inside.

The day wore on and Tori got hungry. The kitchen hadn't been broken in yet since the flights offered the opportunity for treats at the airports. When her stomach started gurgling and drowning out the sound of the cracking flames, she got up and browsed the pantry, finding quite a selection of canned goods. The choice was Campbell's chunky steak and potatoes with saltines. Tori opened the can and emptied it into a pot, then carried it over to the fire and situated it on the cooking rack. She left it for about ten minutes, reading about half a chapter in her book, then moved everything to the dining room table. The soup warmed her insides, which was very welcoming after the time she'd spent outside. It was only a short time, about half an hour, but in negative thirty degree conditions any time is a long time.

When night began to settle in Tori got out her sketch pad and colored pencils, sitting on the right hand side of the dining room table to see out the window as the sun was setting. She mimicked the colors of the sky with her pencils, shading oranges and purples around the outlined treetops. Small critters leapt from tree to tree, taking refuge under the branches. Their bodies started casting long shadows as the sun moved towards the horizon, and she couldn't help but be speechless in the vastness of it all. The city was huge, no doubt, but it was so cluttered and cramped. People, cars, buildings. Everyone packed so close to eachother in the huge space that it gave the claustrophobic feeling of a dollhouse sometimes. But this place was real nature, practically untouched by the hands of man. The treetops swayed in the breeze when the sound of a knock ripped through the cottage. Tori put her pencil down and got up curiously, walking towards the door with a bit of hesitation. Who would be out in that weather at that time of night? She didn't know the answer, but when she peeked outside through the small window by the door, it didn't matter. The door flung open easily and snow blew in furiously as a young woman stood huddled in the doorway.

"Oh my god! What happened to you?"

"I got lost. Can I come in?"

Tori hesitated again, but only for a slight moment. "Yeah, come in."

The woman stepped through the threshold and turned around to shake the snow off quickly.

"Can I get you something? Coffee, hot cocoa?"

"I'll have whatever you're having" the woman answered in a cool voice.

"Okay, hot cocoa it is."

Tori directed the woman to the couch in front of the fire and turned to the kitchen. She filled the kettle with warm water and set it on the same spot she'd put the cooking pot, then sat on the couch next to the woman.

"My name is Tori."

"Hi, I'm Katherine."

"You look okay but you have to be freezing. How did you get lost out here?"

"I was out with some friends doing some winter camping. The radio said a storm was coming in and we tried to get out, but the truck got stuck and we were stranded." Katherine blew into her hands for a second before continuing. "I got out and said I would walk ahead a ways to see if I could spot any landmarks or anything, and while I was out it started snowing even harder. The sun got pretty blocked out and between the snow and the wind my tracks got erased, and I couldn't tell which way I'd come from. I got turned around trying to find my way back to them, and I was really scared so I just kept walking and hoped I would run into someone that could help. Then I found you." She smiled brightly at Tori, flashing her pearly whites.

"That's so scary. I'm glad you made it here, though. I was worried you would be a big scary guy that was gonna try to murder me or something." Tori said the last part with a laugh.

"Doesn't have to be a big scary guy for you to get hurt."

Tori felt a little uneasy at the comment, but it didn't sound threatening. "That's true I guess. But you seem harmless enough and I don't think I could live with myself if I just left you out there."

The kettle shrieked with steam and Tori hopped up to remove it. She went into the kitchen and grabbed the cups, looking out the window on the way in. The snow was was coming down hard, and it seemed like soon enough the windows would even be covered and they would be trapped inside. She thought about what would happen if they really did get trapped in the cottage for days. If the storm was that bad the radio probably wouldn't work, and how long would it take to get someone out there to help? The answer was hopefully a small number. She finished getting the powder into the cups then brought them back to the couch, handing one to Katherine.

"Thank you, I really appreciate you doing this for me. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't find this place."

"Yeah, it's looking pretty rough out there."

Both women turned to look out the window, seeing nothing but snow flying by.

"What are you doing out here?" Katherine asked, sipping slowly from her cup.

"I'm from LA, and the city scene was kind of getting to me you know. I wanted to get away for a while and clear my head. Nature is peaceful and beautiful, unlike the city that's so loud and urban. It's nice to get away from cars and pollution to clean air and open space."

Katherine shook her head as she listened. "I hear that, same reason I'm out here."

"Where are you from?"

"Virginia."

"That's cool. What do you do out there?"

"I don't live there anymore. I kind of drift around these days."

"I see. What do you think happened to your friends?" Tori asked, suddenly concerned for the other people that were trapped somewhere out in the storm.

"I really don't know. I'm worried sick that they'll freeze out there if they didn't get the truck unstuck. If they didn't they could sit in it and turn the heat on for bits at a time, but that's only good as long as there's gas in the tank, and I don't know how much there was."

"Do they have radios or anything?"

"I think one of us did, yeah. Otherwise they have good gear. Rated jackets and gloves, snow pants, snowshoes and stuff like that."

"Well that's good to know at least."

Tori drained her cup and took it to the sink to rinse it out. Katherine stayed by the fire and drank hers more slowly, watching the flames lick the air around them. Tori searched the pantry again and found some graham crackers and the rest of the ingredients to make smores, so she grabbed everything in her arms and carried it back to the couch. Katherine looked up with a smile and reached out to grab some of the ingredients, gently brushing a hand against Tori's arm. They both flinched a little at the contact.

"Holy cow, you're still so cold" Tori said, pulling the bag of marshmallows open.

"Yeah, I was out there for a while. Good thing we have smores though, more reason to hang out in front of the fire." Katherine smiled and opened the box of graham crackers.

They went about setting up their space. Tori ran back out to the kitchen quickly to grab a plate for all the stuff, setting it down on the floor between them. Katherine grabbed the thin pokers from next to the fireplace and handed one to Tori, spearing a marshmallow with her own. Each sat in silence as the first of the batch cooked slowly over the flames, eventually bloating out and blackening a bit. Tori's slipped and fell off the end of the poker because she'd left it over the fire too long, and they both laughed at the gooey mess at the base of the ashtray. She tried again while Katherine made her first smore, eyeing Tori watchfully as she redid hers. Tori got the feeling that Katherine was watching her, and she made glances out of the corner of her eye as she worked. It seemed odd that Katherine was out there all that time, but she didn't have a hat or gloves or any of that. Just a jacket and some thin boots. As Tori thought more, she noticed a few more things about Katherine that seemed off. She didn't ask to try to contact anyone when she had first arrived, which Tori felt would be the first thing she would do if she really had friends that could possibly be in trouble. She also didn't have any signs of dehydration or hypothermia, which she definitely would have at those temperatures. Something didn't add up about the whole situation but Tori didn't want to be obvious about it at first, hoping that maybe they could just play the night out together and Katherine would be on her way as soon as the snow cleared up the next morning.

"Well, four is my limit. I think I'm gonna crash, but you can do whatever. The bathroom is in the corner right there, and there's some books on the table."

Katherine sat up on her knees and looked Tori directly in the eye, speaking in a very firm voice. "Can I sleep with you, tonight? I sure am shook up from what happened."

Tori was taken aback by the sudden sternness of her voice, but she didn't feel it was a good idea. "I'm sorry but I don't really know you and I would just rather you stayed out here. I mean, it's right in front of the fireplace so you'll probably be a lot warmer than I will."

Katherine looked very concerned as she spoke. "Okay, that's fine." Her mood seemed to change once again very suddenly, and she was light-hearted and smiley again. "Sorry I asked, I know that's probably kind of weird but I just felt like I would feel safer that way. It's cool how you're brave enough to be out here by yourself."

"Yeah, it was weird at first but I like it." Tori got up and carried the plate to the kitchen, setting it down on the counter. "The radio is on the counter over here. It's already set to the warden so if you wake up before me and want to try to raise him to check on your friends please do."

"Alright. Thanks again, Tori. Night."

"You're welcome. Night."

Tori went into her room and closed the door over so she could change. She slipped into some warm pajamas and reopened the door so the heat could get in. The bed was chilly but would warm up quickly, as she had learned the night before. Thoughts about Katherine started floating around her brain. Why was she wandering around by herself if there was a group of them? Who would let her go without a partner? It didn't seem right, and Tori couldn't imagine a group of people not being able to figure something out. It couldn't have been that far away, since Katherine had made it to her cottage in that skimpy jacket and boots. And if her friends were geared up so well, why wasn't she? A lot of things didn't make sense, and a bit of worry started to creep over her. Quickly she remembered what Katherine had said when she first arrived. _Doesn't have to be a big scary guy for you to get hurt. _Tori started to feel like she was in danger but didn't want to tip Katherine off to that and possibly trigger something. Now it was a waiting game to see when the storm would end.

The next morning Tori got up and headed out into the kitchen. The couch was empty, and when she checked the bathroom was unoccupied. Nothing looked like it was missing, and eventually she noticed that Katherine's boots weren't by the door. She must have gotten in contact with the warden and found her friends. Good for her, but kind of rotten that she would just leave without letting Tori know, or at least leaving a note. Oh well. Tori started some coffee and used the bathroom while it brewed, deciding on a long, hot bath. She turned the knobs on the large bathtub to the desire temperature and then headed out to grab her coffee.

The water was almost full when she decided to look under the sink and found some bubble bath. Kind of funny that Gary would have bubble bath in his cottage, but Tori didn't think about it. It smelled like sweet pea and bubbled up really nice. The water was amazing. The heat soaked into her bones and reinvigorated her whole body and spirit. Steam rose off the water as it mixed with the chilled air. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, breathing in the clean scent of the bubble bath and the fresh natural air. The faint smell of pine from the fireplace. Everything about the cottage was relaxing. About forty minutes later Tori heard a knock on the door. She quickly got out and toweled off, grabbing the thick robe from the back of the door.

"Just a minute!" she yelled, trying to dry her hair a bit so it didn't flash freeze when she opened the front door.

When she unlocked the handle and opened the door Katherine was standing there with a paper bag in her arms. She smiled at Tori and walked inside, setting the bag on the counter. The frozen air bit hard, but it didn't seem as cold as it had been. It was just the fact that she was still a little wet from the bath.

"Good morning" Katherine said, pulling a few items out of the bag and setting them along the countertop.

"Hey, what's all this?" Tori asked, walking forward.

"Well, I got a hold of the warden this morning and he said he was getting a team together to go look for the truck. I'm guessing the group was probably going to start coming this way in the morning so they should meet up sometime soon. At least I hope."

"That's good" Tori said, heading back towards the bathroom. "Let me drain the tub and get dressed real quick and I'll be back out."

"Kay."

Katherine still didn't seem that worried about her friends. It could possibly be because she had faith in the warden, but Tori wasn't convinced of that. She also wondered how Katherine had gotten into town. Surely she would have heard her start the snowmobile? It was possible that she was sleeping pretty hard after the warm drinks by the fire the night before. Still, something was wrong. Tori got dressed and combed her hair out in front of the large ornate mirror on the wall in the bedroom, spraying on a little perfume before heading back out into the living room.

"I got ingredients to make cheesecake" Katherine said over her shoulder, putting some things into a small fridge. "I also grabbed some vitamin water and cream for the coffee."

Tori smiled. "Awesome. I had to drink it black when I was in the tub. Not the best thing in the world."

"Yeah I don't like black coffee either, too bitter,"

"Well thanks for grabbing that stuff. What do I owe you?"

Katherine laughed and waved a lazy hand. "No way, this is on me. For letting me stay here."

"I appreciate it."

"Me too."

They both smiled at eachother and Tori could feel her heart pounding. Why? Nothing had happened. She wasn't in any danger. It was just a casual conversation between two women. So why did she feel like she had just run a marathon? Things with Katherine seemed to get weirder by the hour. Tori walked to the front door and opened it, sticking an arm outside and waving it around. It seemed a lot warmer than it did the day before. She contemplated hanging out outside for a bit, maybe walking around back if she could to see some more of the land. The trees bowed with snow and made soft creaking noises. The cottage was covered as well, but it stood as sturdy as ever. Tori wondered if anything would bring this place down.

"Going to get a little sun?" Katherine asked, taking a drink of her pink water.

"Yeah. It seems a lot warmer out."

"The warden said we're in the eye of the storm right now. The sun is gonna melt some of the snow and then it's supposed to drop back down again tonight to ice it all over and snow again."

Tori raised her eyebrows. "That's crazy. I wonder how bad it'll be."

"I'm gonna try to get out of your hair before it comes. I don't want to get stuck here for days and be a burden. I know you came here to relax and get away and all that."

"It's okay" Tori said, pulling her arms through her jacket, "I don't mind company." She smiled as she said it and zipped the jacket up.

"Okay then. Mind if I join you outside?"

"Not at all."

Tori couldn't figure out what was going on. She was terrified of all the things this woman could potentially be the night before, but now she was practically asking her to stay. There were times where she would think of all the possibilities of Katherine being a bad person there to rob her or kill her, maybe take her for ransom or something. But every time she looked at her, all she could do was smile dumbly. Katherine was exquisitely beautiful, there was no doubt about that. She was kind of short but her body was tight and slender, and very curvy. Her jaw was defined and her neck long with a very appealing slope. She had a large bust that sat very perky and round and her legs looked strong, like she could have been a dancer. Her hair was dark and very long like Tori's. All in all it was a very appealing package. Tori didn't think she was interested in girls, but there was something about her that was attractive. She knew about a thing called a 'girl crush,' but it didn't seem to really fit this situation. It was going to be an interesting day.

The sun was hot overhead, casting light to everything in view. The snow was already melting a bit, causing slick areas on the walkways. If this really was the eye of the storm, it was going to come back in a big way. Tori remembered reading a few preparatory things before leaving, and one of those things was roof raking. There was already a solid foot and a half resting on each side, and there was bound to be at least a few more coming over the next night. She headed to the shed and grabbed roof rake, carrying it over to the right side of the cottage and started pulling some of the snow down. Katherine stood by and watched curiously.

"I'll do the other side when you're done" Katherine said, smiling at the way Tori moved her hair out of her eyes.

"Okay, sounds good to me" Tori replied, huffing a little with the exertion.

Once the roof was cleaned most of the way off Katherine returned the rake to its place in the shed, shutting the door behind her. The sun had moved into early afternoon and they each tipped their heads back, eyes closed, soaking in the rays. The wind was still pretty rugged, but it was only negative five. Only negative five was a pretty funny thought to Tori, who chuckled a bit. Katherine watched her out of the corner of her eye, taking in her outline. Tori was tall and thin, but her features were prominent. God-like cheekbones and whiskey colored eyes topped full lips and nearly perfect teeth. Her smile almost blinded as bad as the snow in the sun. Her stomach was toned and the sides of her abs were easily visible, as Katherine quickly noticed when Tori got dressed out of the bathtub. She had long legs and curvy hips with a perfect gap between her thighs that made her mouth water a little. Tori suddenly turned to face her and caught her staring. Katherine blushed and smiled hugely, not able to hold back a giggle.

"See something you like?" Tori asked seductively, biting her lip a little.

"Yes I do" Katherine answered back to Tori's surprise. "I think you're really pretty."

Tori blushed hard and her face contrasted with the snow so much it was almost comical.

"I'm sorry I hope that's not weird or anything" Katherine added, shying away.

"No it's fine, it's actually kinda nice" Tori said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I haven't gotten many compliments lately."

"Well the guys in your area must be blind."

Tori smiled wide. "Thanks, but you're pretty easy on the eyes yourself."

Katherine batted her eyelashes and swayed her hips in an imitation of Marilyn Monroe. "Why thank ya darlin'!"

Though it was warmer than usual it was still really cold, and Tori needed to go inside after a while. Her teeth were chattering and she felt the breeze in her bones, making it hard to move. They both walked in and kicked their boots off, heading to the couch in the living room. Tori stoked the fire and placed a few fresh logs in it that caught pretty much immediately, giving the room the faint smell of pine. It was a pleasant smell. Katherine took her coat off and hung it on the coat rack by the kitchen and returned to the couch, laying on it horizontally. Tori finished with the fire and did the same on the other side, sliding between Katherine's legs and the inside of the couch. They both closed their eyes and enjoyed the heat from the fire, taking in a bit of relaxation. Neither of them said anything for almost forty five minutes. The light in the cottage had gone down significantly, and Tori realized the storm must be rolling back in. She opened her eyes and saw clouds moving in quickly.

"If you don't want to stay I'm sure I could get you to the Warden's place before the storm hits" Tori said, hoping a little that she would say no.

Katherine sat up a bit. "If you want me to go I can."

"No, it's fine with me." Tori reached over and squeezed Katherine's calf muscle gently, smiling up at her.

"Okay, then I would very much like to stay. I like the company here." She did the same with Tori's leg but moved her hand back and forth, massaging her calf.

"That feels nice" Tori said, closing her eyes and snuggling back into the warm and comfortable spot.

They both fell asleep for a while, but they weren't sure how long. Tori stirred a little and saw Katherine breathing slowly and evenly on the other side of the couch. They had moved in their sleep and tangled their legs so each had the other's foot resting inbetween their thighs. She raised an eyebrow at the sight, surprised more by the fact that it felt natural and comfortable than that it was there in the first place. Katherine's thighs and center had kept her foot warm and their legs fit together nicely, probably why they fell asleep so easily. After a few minutes Tori sat up slowly as to not wake Katherine, then headed out to the kitchen to find something for them to eat.

Katherine slept soundly from the living room so Tori decided to make the cheesecake she had gotten the ingredients for. She mixed everything up as quietly as she could and put it in the fridge, then turned to the pantry for actual food. There was pasta and sauce, and some hamburger in the freezer that could be defrosted in the microwave. Once it was all cooking she grabbed some plates and rinsed them off quickly before setting the table. The bedroom held a small wine rack and a couple bottles were left in the bottom corner, so Tori headed in and grabbed one that turned out to be champagne. She rinsed the noodles off and set everything up on the table, then woke Katherine up before popping the cork since she didn't want to scare her.

"Hey, I made dinner if you're hungry."

"It smells really good" Katherine said, stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Tori popped the cork and it fizzed over quickly into the glass she was holding in her other hand. Katherine grabbed the glass and held it so Tori could tip the bottle back, trying hard not to make a big mess.

"Can I tempt you?" Tori asked, showcasing the bottle like Vanna White.

"Please" Katherine said, holding up the other glass.

"This is so fun. I'm actually really glad you showed up."

"Me too. Cheers."

They raised their glasses and clinked them together, Katherine draining hers in one go. Tori dug into the spaghetti, feeling ravenous from not having eaten anything solid for most of the day. The richness of the sauce mixed with the champagne made her stomach warm and bubbly, and it rose her spirits a lot. Soon enough both of them were laughing and carrying on like they'd known eachother for years. A little ways into the meal Katherine had accidentally bumped Tori's leg with her foot, but when Tori didn't seem to mind she kept it there, moving her toes up and down softly. The feeling sent chills throughout her whole body, and shortly she was wracked with spasms.

"I think this is going straight to my head" Tori said, swirling the last bit of liquid in her glass before throwing it down.

"All the more reason to have another" Katherine added, refilling her glass. "You're out here to relax and have fun right? Well, let's have fun."

"I am so down" Tori added, clearing half the glass before finishing her dinner.

The storm had finally found its way back and it was snowing again in earnest. Blankets of white flakes flew past the window, and Tori couldn't help but think they really would be stuck for days. There was already almost a foot built up in front of the door, so once the dishes were cleared she pushed the door open and moved some of the snow to the sides, making an effort to keep up with it during the storm so they would at least be able to get outside if they needed to. And they would need to at some point, to put more gas in the generator and grab firewood. Katherine found Tori's iPod on side table by the couch and was looking through it. The dock was still in the suitcase as Tori hadn't gotten it out yet, but once she eyed Katherine she pulled it out and plugged it in. Music started a minute later and the girls danced around the open space, draining the rest of the champagne in no time.

"Is there any more of this?" Katherine asked, setting the empty bottle on the table.

"I think there's two more bottles, but I'm pretty sure one of them is wine. Or maybe both. Besides, if we're gonna be stuck here for a while we may want to save it."

"Good point. I feel alright anyway."

"Me too. I hope you don't get bored in here with me if we have to be here for a while."

"I don't think that'll be a problem." Katherine smiled at the end of the sentence and grabbed Tori's hands, and the two of them danced away.

For probably an hour they spun and twirled, dancing on their own and dancing with eachother on and off. Song after song went by and they sang along and jumped up and down, smiling and laughing all the time. The storm raged on outside but they were oblivious to it. The fire died down a little at the relief of each of them. The drink and the dancing had made them really warm, and the roaring fire only added to it, so it was nice when the flames shrank a bit. After they both felt like they would faint from exhaustion Katherine collapsed onto the couch and Tori headed for bathroom. When she came out she fell back into her spot and they laid there panting for a few minutes. Tori closed her eyes and concentrated on the tingly feeling in her limbs, hoping it would last forever.

"I don't get a lot of compliments either" Katherine said after a while, sitting up against the arm of the couch.

"I find that hard to believe, you're breathtaking." Tori shyed away after that last comment, knowing that the champagne had removed some of her judgment.

"Well thank you, but I don't think I could ever match up to someone like you. Your body is amazing, and your hair, your skin, your eyes...it's all perfect."

"I am nowhere near perfect. But you have curves I would kill for."

"Interesting choice of words" Katherine said, looking Tori straight in the eyes. "Though when it comes to it most people can't do the deed."

"Good thing it's just a figure of speech."

"Yeah, good thing."

"I'm sure you've had your choice of boyfriends though, right?" Tori asked, not able to help her straying eyes.

"I actually had two brothers fight over me once. It was pretty exciting, but I got bored after a while. They were constantly at eachother's throats, and I wanted to be friends with both of them but I knew that if I picked one over the other it would destroy the friendship on both sides, and if I picked neither they would both hate me. So I picked neither."

"I think that's what they call first world problems" Tori said, amused.

"Something like that. What about you though, I'm sure you've taken quite a pounding."

Tori's mouth dropped open in a comical 'O' shape.

"I'm just kidding" Katherine added with a smile, poking the inside of Tori's right thigh with her big toe.

"I had a boyfriend a while back. His name was Daniel, and I liked him well enough, but it didn't work out."

"That sucks. I'm sure you'll figure something out though. Maybe you should try playing for the other team sometime."

"I'm sure you'd like that wouldn't you?" Tori asked jokingly, poking the inside of Katherine's thigh the way she'd done it to her.

"I was thinking more for your sake. The way you've been eye-fucking me for the past hour I figured you'd be dying to go down on me." Katherine smiled wickedly and licked her lips.

"Well I seem to recall catching you staring at me outside earlier, so who's been eye-fucking whom?"

At that moment Katherine got up and crawled over to Tori's side of the couch, hovering right over top of her. Tori took a deep breath and stared right into Katherine's chocolate brown eyes, inhaling her scent of champagne and fresh linens. Katherine bent her head down and ran her lips across Tori's collar bone, causing her to arch her back and press her pelvis into Katherine's. The room suddenly got very hot, and Tori could feel a quivering in her stomach that mirrored between her legs. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, wondering what was going to happen next. Katherine planted kisses up and down Tori's neck, licking her lips after each two or three. Tori almost purred with excitement, a low groan escaping between breaths.

"Someone feels a little excited" Katherine said softly. The breath from her words grazed Tori's skin and gave her goosebumps.

"Maybe just a little bit" Tori replied, wrapping her legs around Katherine's waist and pulling down so their stomachs touched.

The skin on skin contact was even more intoxicating than the drink. Tori lifted up her shirt a bit and in turn lifted Katherine's as well, who smiled into Tori's neck at the feeling. Taking initiative, Katherine sat up, straddling Tori's hips and lifted her shirt over her head, casting it aside the couch. Tori's eyes lit up at the sight of her large breasts in her dark purple laced bra. It was silk and very detailed, and also looked very expensive. Katherine slid her legs back and ducked down low, pressing her breasts against Tori's bare stomach, dragging them against her skin slowly. She slid her hands up to Tori's bra line and off to the side, running her fingertips along her ribs. Tori lifted up a bit and pulled her own shirt off, tossing it down next to the couch as well. The fire had died down quiet a bit but it seemed as hot as ever.

"I didn't peg you as the kind of girl to fuck on the first date" Katherine said, her hair falling in curtains around their faces.

"I bet you didn't peg me as a giver either, did you?" Tori smiled and nibbled her lip again, her eyes shining in the fire light.

Tori wasn't actually sure about the whole situation. She had just met this girl the day before, and she'd never been with a girl before. It all seemed to be happening so fast. But Katherine was really nice, and fun to be around. Not to mention drop dead gorgeous. She smelled amazing and her body felt great pressed up against her own. Her lips were soft and and her voice gave Tori goosebumps. She laid there and looked into Katherine's eyes, wondering who this woman was and where she came from. Wondering how she had just happened to be camping and get lost at the same time Tori was staying in the cottage. It was a twist of fate, and one that she was grateful for.

Katherine moved down and kissed Tori's neck again, laying down on the side of the couch with her back to the fire so they could be side by side. She slipped a finger inside the waistband of Tori's jeans, tugging at them playfully while she kissed up to her chin. Tori lowered her head and made the move, pressing her lips hard against Katherine's. She pressed her hand into the small of her back and pulled her in closer, kissing her more passionately. Katherine slipped her leg inbetween Tori's, grinding her pelvis against Tori's thigh as they kissed. Quickly their lips parted and tons were added, swirling slowly and playfully around eachother. Tori moved her hand up to Katherine's bra strap and undid it with one swift movement, meeting her eyes as she did. Katherine's eyebrows raised and Tori smiled wide, pulling the left strap down her arm. Katherine slid the other one down pulled the bra to the side, discarding it with the rest of the clothing.

Tori ran a hand down her shoulder and stopped at her breasts, slowly moving her hand over to cup it. The were full and perfectly shaped, with small light pink nipples. Katherine closed her eyes at the feeling of Tori's hand massaging, trying to control her breathing. Tori brought her thumb up and flicked it over the nipple, making it instantly hard. Katherine shrieked a little pressed into Tori harder, kissing her with an energy unmatched by most things in the universe. They rolled around a bit as they kissed. Tangled arms and tangled legs got stuck in the spaces between the cushions and they laughed whenever it happened.

Tori started her descent. She kissed Katherine's lips, nibbling on the bottom one a bit and moved to the right, down her neck to her shoulder. Her hair dragged across Katherine's skin as she moved, giving her goosebumps and shivers. She kissed over to her throat and down to her chest before moving to the right breast. Her lips brushed over the nipple once, twice, then she covered the whole thing with her mouth. Katherine let out a big gasp and tangled her fingers in Tori's hair, her breath quickening. Tori worked on the right one for a minute and moved to the left, producing the same effect. Katherine was bucking her hips and practically begging for Tori to continue, so she obliged. As she kissed down her stomach she could hear the funny noises it was making, see the contractions as Katherine trembled. It put a smile on her face, and she continued down. When Tori got to the button on her jeans she didn't play around, unbuttoning and pulling them off quickly. Katherine's panties matched her bra, and they seemed to be a bit wet in the center.

Tori went to work quickly, planting kisses from the pantyline down the right thigh. Katherine started breathing faster and shallower, squeezing her breasts in anticipation of the moment. Tori wrapped her arms around Katherine's legs and rested her hands on the tops of her thighs. She kissed back up her thigh and over to her center, breathing deep the musky scent of her wetness. Her head was still a little floaty from the drink and the intoxicating scent only made to heighten the feeling. She grabbed the edges of Katherine's panties and slid them down, exposing her neatly manicured center with a single thin landing strip down the middle. Her lips were small and glistened with wetness, and her clit was already swollen. Tori felt the fire burning in her stomach. She looked up Katherine's naked body all the way to her eyes. They were wide and shining, pleading for her to take the plunge. Tori winked softly and went for it.

She licked gingerly from the bottom of the right inner labia all the way up and around the clit, careful not to hit it directly so early. The taste was sweet and a little tart at the same time, and it was magnificent. Katherine moaned quietly at the touch of Tori's tongue and her hips rocked up and down. Tori traced the same lick on the left side, taking the lip inbetween her own and pressing them together, letting it slip out slowly. She licked around, exploring a bit and seeing what got the best reaction. Whenever she got close to her clit Katherine sucked in a sharp breath, as if bracing for an explosion. Tori kept that in mind as she rounded her opening slowly, pushing her tongue inside a little and wriggling it around. Katherine got louder at that point, running her fingers through Tori's hair. The sweet nectar had pooled around the opening and Tori lapped it up gratefully, her whole body shaking as she swallowed. Her hands started moving around on Katherine's body, fingernails dragging lightly over skin as her tongue explored. She eventually brought her arms back around and started using her fingers to aide the effort. She spread her lips open wide and held them, tracing around her entrance again. This time she curled her tongue in and pushed it in as far as she could, curling it up on the way out to drag across the upper wall. Katherine's body shook violently and Tori took that as a sign to really ramp things up, so she kept going and used her right thumb to massage her clit at the same time.

The moans turned into screams. Katherine had one hand on her breast and one behind her head, helping prop her up off the couch. Tori continued for a minute and then switched up, slipping her middle inside and flicking her tongue over her clit. She closed her mouth around it and sucked hard, rolling it back and forth between her closed lips. Her finger pressed down hard as it went in and out, as Tori had heard once that it simulated the feeling of penetration. It seemed to be working since Katherine was going insane, hardly able to even stay on the couch. Tori used her left hand to pull the hood back and expose her clit fully, then clamped back on it again. She kept her fingers going as she sucked, looking up directly into Katherine's eyes. Katherine bucked her hips hard and her eyes closed, moans ripping through the silence like thunder. Eventually she fell back onto the couch, breathing heavy and shaking all over. Tori planted little kisses all over center, from her lips to her clit and back down to her entrance, shoving her tongue inside one more time to lick up as much juice as she could.

Katherine laid still for a long time.

Tori climbed back up and laid next to her, tracing Katherine's lips with the finger she had used to help bring her to climax. Katherine smiled with her eyes still closed and opened her mouth, accepting Tori's finger. She sucked it clean and turned to her side to face Tori again, leaning forward to kiss her. They laid side by side and kissed gently for what seemed like hours. She was fully nude and Tori had no top but she still had pants on. She opened her eyes and looked into Tori's. They looked at eachother, searching for how the other was feeling about what had just happened. The fire was almost out now, so Katherine got up and stoked the fire, shaking her hips since she knew Tori was watching. She tossed a couple logs in and walked back, laying on top of Tori to start the process.

The storm raged as bad as ever. Temperatures had dropped significantly since the cloud cover came in, but cold was definitely not a factor inside the cottage. The fire roared in the fireplace and in both of the their stomachs. Tori was consumed with lust after just having her first experience with a woman, and was about to have her second. Katherine had her jeans off in no time, mimicking the moves Tori made on her. She seemed to be a little more experienced, as she knew little tricks like belly rubbing that made Tori go wild. Soon enough her red and white panties were on the floor in the ever-growing pile and Katherine was ready to go. Tori reacted in the same way, lifting off the couch and bucking her hips uncontrollably. Wetness seemed to almost flood out of her, and she could hear the sounds of Katherine licking it all up just as she had done. The sound and the image together sent chills straight down her spine. They made eye contact just as Katherine started to suck on her clit and Tori screamed out in ecstasy. The little moves here and there made her moan loudly and even squeal once or twice. She vibrated from top to bottom the whole time Katherine worked on her, eyes closed and mind in deep concentration. Tori cupped her breasts and squeezed, rubbing her nipples back and forth between her thumb and forefinger. It didn't take long since she had built up so much from working on Katherine, and when her orgasm came it was like nothing she'd ever experienced. She definitely didn't get that much of a response with just her own finger. Images of huge ocean waves crashing on the beach flooded her brain. Her limbs went numb and it was as if every pleasure receptor in her body switched to the on position. Lights popped like fireworks behind her eyelids, and the image of sparklers flakes flying through the air reminded her of what neurons firing inside her body looked like. Some time later she had finally calmed down, and Katherine was laying next to her, purring softly.

"That was amazing" Tori said, slurring her words a little bit.

"I agree, you were phenomenal for a first timer."

"I don't think I've ever felt that good in my life."

"Well all I can say is I'm glad our fates brought us together."

"Me too. This was a good night."

"The best part? The way that snow is going out there we're gonna have a few more chances at it. That is, if you want."

"I want." Tori smiled and kissed Katherine on the lips, tasting herself on her tongue.

Tori basked in the glow of her orgasm for a few minutes, then got a brilliant idea. She stood up and slipped into her panties again, then ran out into the kitchen. Katherine heard her banging around for a minute but was too tired to actually look and see what was happening. A few minutes later Tori returned with two plates of cheesecake and two forks. Katherine's eyes lit up at the sweet treat and she sat up, patting the cushion next to her.

"You are an angel."

"Well that must mean you are too since you got the stuff for it."

"We make a pretty good pair."

"Yeah we do."

The girls smiled at eachother and ate slowly, enjoying the richness of the dessert.

Afterward the combination of the food, the dancing, the sex, the champagne and the heat all bored down and Tori was out like a light. She slept through the night easily, and when she woke the next morning she found herself alone. A blanket had been draped over her and her head pounded. The light coming in from the windows was already too bright, and it wasn't even late morning yet. She looked around and Katherine was nowhere to be seen. The last thing she remembered was kissing her and then she must have knocked out, cause there was nothing. Tori got up slowly and and checked the bedroom; empty. When she checked the bathroom it was empty as well. She used it quickly and made her way into the kitchen to start the coffee pot. There was a note on top of the coffee pot, and Tori read it out loud for no particular reason.

_Tori,_

_The Warden called after the snow stopped and said that my friends found his place early this morning. Thank you for an amazing two days and the most incredible night I've had in a long time. I cleaned off the porch for you before I left._

_-Katherine_

She felt sad that Katherine had left without saying goodbye to her face, but a part of her knew that it couldn't last forever. She stood there and held the note for a minute, tracing over each letter of Katherine's name one by one, flashing back to the night before. When she had her fill she folded the note back up and left it on the counter, heading into the bathroom again to clean up a bit. The fire was going well, which meant Katherine had fixed it up before she left. That was a nice thought. Tori grabbed her brush and went to brush out her hair, and when she looked in the mirror she noticed a couple marks on her neck. There was no feeling there until she saw them, but after knowing they were there they burned a little. It wasn't a hicky, she knew that much. It was two small puncture holes right on one of the big veins. Puncture wounds. They were clean and perfectly round, almost surgical. She had no memory of how they had gotten there or what would have made those marks, but she felt okay, so she didn't put too much thought into it.

The coffee pot finished and Tori poured herself some, putting a little cream in and thinking again of Katherine. She took the cup over to the dining room table and looked outside. The trees were completely whited out, and the snow was still coming down. A little pang of suspicion bit in her stomach, and she got up to check the front door. The storm was still going, albeit not nearly as strong as it was before, but there looked to be at least four or five feet of snow on the ground. The porch was cleaned off, but the path stopped at the stairs. There were no trails or footprints, and Tori had a hard time believing the Warden could have gotten here easily early in the morning. She thought back to the suspicions she had about Katherine's friends, how she never seemed that worried. Now this? Tori shut the door and went back to her coffee, wondering what really happened with that girl, and if she'd ever find out the truth.

**A/N: This was an attempt at a single POV AU crossover. TVD and Victorious are both great shows, and Tori and Katherine are my favorite characters respectively. The sex scene was much different from the small ones I wrote in my Jori story, so I hope they went okay and someone gets some enjoyment out of it. I picked up the pace a little bit in this one too since it's a one shot, which is why it's not as thoroughly detailed as my last story. Please tell me what you think if you're so inclined. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

The time had come to end the week's vacation and go back to L.A. Tori wasn't really excited about going back. The time she'd spent in the cottage had done wonders for her both mentally and physically. Her thoughts were clear and her body felt light and pure from all of the clean oxygen. The thought of going back to the polluted air of the city was kind of dragging the day down, making the last few hours before her departure kind of miserable. She finished a cup of coffee and washed all of the dishes, drying them and putting them back in the cupboards where they belonged so as to leave the cottage the way she found it, out of respect for Gary letting her use the place. As she dried the plates a light snow flittered past the window, and Tori's thoughts went straight to Katherine. The smooth curves of her body, the soft caress of her hands on Tori's own. She shivered at the thought of being close to her again. All thoughts of boys at Hollywood Arts had gone out the window, and she wondered if maybe she was gay and just hadn't realized it. Her relationship with Daniel hadn't gone the best, and thinking it over she realized that a lot of the time she was bored and uninterested in kissing him. That said, the thought of her being gay being the reason why never really came to her until she experienced Katherine in all her glory. Flashes of their intimate couch session made Tori's heart pump hard in her chest, and her knees shook at the feeling of her panties getting wet. It wouldn't do to try to travel in this state; she'd have to take her thoughts to the large couch in front of the fireplace and relive the moment once more before she left.

The fire perked as a log was tossed on top and the coals were stoked, adding a little extra heat to the area in front of the fireplace. Tori slipped her sweats off and let them pool around her feet before she slid them to the side, sitting on the far left cushion to slide her socks off as well. The snow continued to fall lightly outside the cottage and she thought back to Katherine's shining brown eyes that glinted in the sunlight, much like her own. The sly smile she wore that showed off her perfect, blinding teeth. Tori slid her shirt over her head and discarded it to the same place as her sweats and laid back, her right side facing the fireplace. She trailed a finger down the valley between her breasts to her tight stomach, tracing small circles around her belly button. The bubbling heat in her gut rose and fell in sync with her breathing, and goosebumps covered her arms and legs. Her center throbbed and the ache of need clouded all of her thoughts that didn't center around Katherine. She lifted up off the couch and slipped her panties down, arching her back at the feeling of the fabric brushing against her sensitive skin. When she pulled them down they popped off of her center with a wet sound, and a low groan escaped Tori's throat at how wet she was. Being fully nude on the couch in front of the fire light again roused all the passion she felt for the elegant brunette, and before she knew it her middle finger was inside her opening. She gasped slightly at the entrance, her walls closing tightly around her finger as she tensed her back muscles. The heat from the fire coated her body like a blanket, and the heat in her stomach added to it nicely. Small beads of sweat formed in the depressions of her abs and her breath quickened, basking in the glow of the pleasure and warmth. Her hips rocked up and down to meet the strokes of her finger when she curled it upward, raking the top of her walls lightly to find the spot that helped send her over the edge. Her left hand found her breasts, squeezing them with fervor and rolling the nipples between her fingers. She felt that release was near so she brought the other hand down to work at her engorged clit, pinching and stroking it roughly while she continued to finger her opening. Not even a minute later the ball of heat in her gut expanded until it burst like a firework, her back arching almost a foot off the couch. She bucked her hips against her fingers and called out Katherine's name, crashing back down to the cushions in a crumpled heap. Her skin was wet with sweat and her breath was short and ragged, but the waves of her orgasm ebbed and flowed from her center out to the tips of her fingers and toes, and she laid still for a while until they subsided.

It took another half hour before Tori could get up off the couch and finish getting ready to leave. The plane took off at eleven the next morning, so she hoped to get to bed early. The snow had died off and glinted softly in the fading sunlight, signaling the end of the day drawing near. A low grumble informed her that she needed to eat something, so she made a quick sandwich and ate it on the porch, looking out at the snow drifts around where the driveway used to be. The treetops cast long shadows over the undisturbed snow, waving softly in the breeze, making the shadows dance like puppet silhouettes. She was going to miss this place a lot. The natural features of the trees and ridgeline, along with the sweet smell of burning pine in the fireplace and the comforts of being far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Everyone had to go back sometime, and Tori knew that, so bit the bullet and went back inside to sleep for the night.

The morning came quickly and Tori radioed the Warden, asking if she could get a lift to the airport. She didn't want to take the snowmobile to the Warden's and leave it there to catch a cab, since it wasn't hers and she couldn't get a hold of Gary, so the Warden offered to come pick her up himself. A fast paced morning of coffee and toast to settle her stomach for the flight and Tori was ready to go, turning back to stare at the cottage longingly while the Warden secured her bags in the tow. She sat on the back of the sled and held on as they took off down the trail, almost on the edge of tears. The same man that had dropped her off at the cottage picked her up from the Warden's place, and his familiar smile made her feel better. She got into the back of the cab and settled in for the ride.

"Hey there kiddo, how was your vaca?"

"It was good, thanks. I'm really not looking forward to going back."

"Yeah you seem a little downtrodden" he replied sullenly, trying to flash a weak smile into the rearview mirror to show he sympathized. "Maybe someday you can move out here and you won't have to leave."

"Yeah, that'll be the day." Tori said softly, wishing that future could actually be possible. "I don't know where I'll end up. I go to a performing arts school, so naturally I want to try to do something like singing or acting if I can, but if that doesn't pan out I'd like to maybe write books or screenplays. A lot of good writers like seclusion, so it would be nice to come out here for that."

The driver nodded his agreement. "You got a good head on your shoulders, thinking forwardly. Most kids your age don't do that."

"Most kids my age would kill to be in my position at Hollywood Arts, but I just can't seem to get into it. I like the school well enough and I have some great friends, but I can't help thinking I'd be happier traveling."

"Well you seemed a little confused when we first talked, and I figured coming out here would help you sort through that stuff and you'd come back in better condition, but you seem even more unsure than when you arrived." He chuckled a little, but not in a mean way.

"What's your name anyway?" Tori asked, meeting his eyes in the mirror.

"Bob Arctor, and yourself?"

"Tori Vega."

"Well then Tori Vega, why do you think you couldn't work through your issues out here?" Bob asked softly, turning his eyes back to the road.

"I, uh, I met a girl..."

"Oh really? How'd you manage that?"

"A woman showed up at my door one night saying she had gotten lost when her and her friends got stuck winter camping. She got lost trying to walk ahead and found my place after a couple hours, so I let her stay with me for a couple days."

"Interesting. What happened to her friends?"

"I woke up yesterday morning and there was a note on the counter in the kitchen saying they'd found the Warden's cabin after getting the truck out and they came to pick her up."

"Huh," Bob sighed thoughtfully, "I didn't hear anything about this."

"Would you have normally?" Tori asked, the feeling of suspicion she had before creeping it's way back in.

"Well usually when people go missing around here it's first thing on the news, since it's so dangerous and all. If Dick knew someone was missing it would have been plastered everywhere for the search teams to see."

Tori looked down at her hands and thought back to how she wondered about Katherine's story, having a feeling that it either wasn't the whole story or it wasn't true at all. "I don't really know what to say, then. She didn't hurt me or steal anything, so I don't see why she would lie to get into my cottage."

"Beats me, people do things for the weirdest reasons."

The rest of the drive was mostly quiet with some light banter about local things. Tori stared out the window and watched the treeline ripple across the horizon, a small pang in her stomach reminding her she wasn't going to be able to see anything like this for a long time. The city, although huge in size, was claustrophobic, and she wasn't looking forward to being stuck in the industrial wasteland for who knows how long before she could take another trip like this. Bob cruised along at a steady speed and watched the road carefully, noting something about black ice being one of the top causes of death in the area and Tori took solace in his concentration. The outline of the airport dotted into view and not long later the cab stopped at the entrance to her airline. Bob popped the trunk and got out to retrieve Tori's luggage and helped her take it up the counter, where she turned to give him a hug goodbye. They'd only spent about two hours together but she liked him and would miss their conversations.

"Have a safe trip, Tori. It was nice meeting you."

"You too Bob. If I ever come out this way again, which is possible since I think my mom is going to end up together with the guy who owns the cottage I stayed in, I'll be sure to look for your cab. Maybe then I'll be of age and we can do some karaoke at the bar."

Bob laughed at the thought of the skinny tan girl tipsy and belting out lyrics to some eighties hair metal ballad. "Sounds good to me kid. Be good."

"You too. I know there's a bit of a troublemaker in there, you can't fool me." Bob smiled as he turned to leave and Tori waved with a smile of her own, one that quickly faltered when she realized she was alone again on her way back to her life.

The trip back was straight through which allowed for certain comforts in the form of drinks and snacks. Tori resolved to a can of ginger ale and some roasted cashews to help pass the time as she watched the clouds pass outside her window, wondering where all the little dots that represented cars on the roadways were going, and what those people's names were. The flight attendant came back through with a trash bag to collect the waste and Tori threw her stuff in, leaning back against the headrest to shut her eyes for the remainder of the flight.

Gary and her mom were both at the airport to pick her up when her flight came in five hours later. Mrs. Vega ran forward and scooped her little girl up in her arms, hugging her with a ferocity that rivaled rivaled an NFL tackle. Tori laughed into her mom's hair and hugged her back, at least happy to see her family if anything. LAX was just as packed as ever with grumpy tourists and business people going about their lives, talking into earpieces and sipping lattes like it was their lifeblood. Gary smiled at the look on her face, knowing full well what she was feeling about being back in the thick of it all after such a relaxing time away.

"It's not so bad, Tori. I know what that feeling is like, where you can stop thinking about the fresh air and smell of the fireplace, the glint of the snow and stinging cold that's so unlike it is here. It gets better after a while, although I won't lie to you and say it goes away completely, since I can see in your eyes that you know that already."

"Yeah, I can imagine there's always going to be a part of me that wants to go back. I can't imagine what it would be like to live there all the time. Some people would get bored but I relished in the quiet. It was nice."

"Well at any rate we're glad to have you back here, even if you're not _really _back yet." Gary joked, nudging her softly with a friendly elbow. Tori smiled at the small sentiment, knowing Gary was trying his best to fit into the family amidst the awkwardness of it all. She commended his efforts and decided he wasn't so bad, and it was just the sting of the breakup that made her standoffish towards him in the first place. Mrs. Vega wrapped her arm around Tori's shoulders and pulled her in tight as they walked to the baggage claim.

Once back at the house Tori went straight upstairs to unpack and throw everything into the laundry, running it down to start a load. Trina was singing at the top of her lungs in the bathroom, oblivious to the fact they'd come home. She opened the door to the hallway when Tori passed by and screamed, making Tori jump almost half a foot off the ground.

"Jesus Tori, do we have to have this conversation again?"

Tori sighed loudly. "You don't live here by yourself Trina, get used to it."

"You're such a gank. Why'd you even come back?"

"You know what Trina, I don't know." Tori walked into her room and shut the door hard behind her, leaving Trina with a bit of a guilty frown.

Tori figured she should let her friends know that she was back, so a text to Jade was the first thing she did after flopping down on her bed. She wasn't sure why Jade was the first one that came to her mind since she had such a distaste for Tori, but it didn't matter. Tori typed out the message and sent it, receiving one back almost immediately.

_Hey Tori, welcome back. I was just talking to Andre about everyone going to the mall tonight to get something to eat and maybe go down to the beach tonight. Do you wanna go? -Jade_

The message came as a shock and Tori read it over again two, three times, wondering if her eyes were deceiving her. When she was satisfied that the message really said what she thought it did, she replied, thinking that maybe Jade actually missed her a little bit. The thought was kind of funny to her and seemed impossible, but you know what they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. That saying would come to full fruition in time, but Tori had no idea.

_Okay, I'll pick you up in 2 hours. Get some rest. -Jade_

She took the girl's advice and laid back on her pillows, closing her eyes and falling asleep almost immediately.

Jade showed up a little after eight and knocked on the front door, making a face when she was greeted by Trina. The two of them never got along so Trina just stepped aside without saying anything, allowing Jade to come into the house. She kicked her boots off and headed up the stairs without a word, knocking softly on Tori's closed door. There was no answer so she opened it slowly, trying not to make too much noise in case she was still sleeping; she didn't want to startle her. Tori's breathing was slow and deep, and Jade felt a little guilty waking her up. She sat on the edge of the bed and shook Tori's hip gently, smiling when she opened her eyes and looked around confused.

"Hey Tor, it's Jade. If you're tired and want to go back to sleep it's okay, everyone will understand."

Tori sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, smiling at Jade since she was actually being nice to her for a change. "No, it's okay, just give me a few minutes to brush my teeth and change."

"Sure thing, do you want me to wait downstairs?"

"You're fine" Tori answered, turning the three way light onto it's lowest setting as to not hurt her eyes. She went to the closet and grabbed a turquoise tank top and some white shorts, stripping down in the middle of her room to change. Jade stole a glance and blushed a little bit, happy that Tori didn't notice. Once she was dressed Tori sprayed on some perfume and headed into her bathroom, brushing her teeth quickly and running her fingers through her hair. When she came out Jade was standing with her hands in her pockets, swaying side to side sightly.

"Okay, I'm ready. Thanks for waiting."

"No problem" Jade replied kindly, making Tori cock her head to the side a bit when she heard the words. "Oh stop, I'm allowed to be nice sometimes."

"Well sure, it's just not usually to me."

"Put your swimsuit in your purse and go get in the car, Vega."

The mall was crowded, but Tori didn't care. As soon as she saw their group of friends sitting at a table in front of Yummy Japan she broke out into a run, slamming full force into Cat. They hugged tightly and the rest of the group smiled at the sight, waiting for their own turns to do the same. She went around the circle from Cat to Beck, then to Robbie and her best friend Andre last, squeezing him extra hard.

"Hey chica, miss me?"

"Of course I did." she smiled, hooking her arm around his. "So what's the plan?"

Beck cleared his throat. "Well, I figured we could get something to eat in the food court here since there's so many choices everyone can get what they want, and then we can do some night swimming at the beach. My cousin who's a Producer has a house on the shore with a private beach so we won't get kicked out or anything."

"Sounds good" Tori said, angling towards a Subway. "I'm going to get an Italian BMT cause I'm starving, I'll meet you guys back here."

Tori got Subway, Jade got Panda Express, Beck and Andre got Sbarros, Robbie got Taco Bell and Cat got sushi. Once everyone had their meals they sat in a group with two tables pushed together and caught up on what had gone happened while Tori was away. Robbie and Rex had gotten into a big fight, and apparently Rex was "staying with a friend" since Robbie didn't have him. He looked really anxious without the puppet and Tori felt kind of bad for him. Cat's brother had gotten brought home by the police early one morning after being caught trying to free the animals from a pet store. Andre was working on a demo tape to send in to a contact he made at the Karaoke Dokie, and Beck and Jade had just been doing their own thing. When they were all finished they discarded their trash and headed for their cars, piling in to make the trip to the beach.

The house that Beck's cousin owned was huge. It had an expansive back porch that was raised off the beach by about three feet, with sturdy wooden steps that lead right down into the sand. The deck had a grill and table with long benches along all four sides. Beck made a phone call to his cousin when they arrived, seeing that all the lights inside were off. Tori walked past Beck down onto the beach and stared out towards the horizon. The sun was almost all the way down and the pastel colors of the sky warmed her insides a bit. It wasn't the freedom of the north, but the shoreline had it's own kind of beauty and Tori felt a little better in that spot. Beck ended the call and hopped up onto the porch, sliding his hand under one of the benches for a second. He nabbed a hide-a-key and opened the back door, letting everyone inside to change. They took turns in the downstairs bathroom getting into the suits while Beck grabbed some drinks out of the fridge, setting them on the island counter.

The water was warm but not as warm as the air and everyone jumped right in, happy to get a little relief from the heat. Tori spat out the taste of salt from her lips and smiled, remembering good times she had as a kid going to the beach with her family. Those days were over, but she was glad the activity could still continue to be fun with the right people. Beck and Andre went underwater at the same time and picked the girls up on their shoulders, Beck with Jade and Andre with Tori. They screamed and held on when the boys charged forward, forcing them into a game of Chicken. Tori grasped hands with Jade and pushed but it was no use. Jade was bigger than she was and stronger, so Tori and Andre toppled over after a small struggle and Jade yelled out their victory with her hands in the air. Beck dropped backwards and Jade screamed again, laughing when she came back up for air.

The stars poked out through the blackness and Tori stared up at them, disappointed she couldn't see as many here as at the cottage. She looked for the familiar constellations she'd found on her vacation but could find no trace of them, so she turned her attention back to the group before she grew any more melancholy. Another person had appeared on the beach a few houses down, but was barely visible in the darkness. Tori only noticed the shape since it was moving, but once they sat down she lost them in the blackness. The group stayed in the water for another little while and eventually got out one by one to sit in the sand and just relax. Beck gathered some driftwood and when Andre realized what he was doing he got up to help, wandering around until the had a pretty good pile built up. Once Andre had built the teepee structure Beck ran inside to grab a lighter and some newspaper to get it started. The fire glowed blue and green with the eerie flames of driftwood, something about a chemical reaction due to the saltwater. Everyone watched the fire for a few minutes, perplexed at the colors dancing off of the logs, which reminded Tori of the northern lights, once again landing a small pang of longing in her gut. The remembrances were getting fewer and less painful though, as the company of her friends really aided in getting her back to speed of normal life. After a while people split up and started conversations, and Tori and Jade had gotten up to go for a walk along the shore. They walked closed to the edge so their feet were in the water when the tide came up, splashing around playfully as they talked. The full moon lit the water and sand up almost like daytime and Tori looked around in wonder, watching the sea foam pool around the divots in the sand.

"So, you glad to be back?" Jade asked, trying to make conversation.

"I don't know. I mean, I'm glad I get to see my family and I'm really happy I'm out with you guys tonight, but I really think I'm just over the whole fast paced city life."

"I know what you mean. I think about getting out sometimes, but I wonder where I would go since my career path will lead me back here anyway."

Tori nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. "Same thing that got me. I don't know though, I told the cabbie that brought me from and back to the airport that I might like to be a writer or something, Hollywood isn't necessarily where my life will end up."

"Yep, we'll just have to see what happens."

As they kept walking Tori noticed they were getting closer to the person that was sitting out on the beach, and she realized it was a woman. She was sitting out by herself, just staring out at the waves. Tori and Jade were headed on a collision course with her in their current path, so they deferred a bit to the left to go down and around her. Tori kept her gaze towards the moon until they were almost on top of where she was sitting, then she turned her head towards her to say hello. Jade blocked her view since they were walking stride for stride so she slowed down to peek behind her back.

"Hi" Tori said softly, holding up an arm to wave.

"Hello, nice night out." the woman replied.

The silky smooth voice that answered her made her stop dead in her tracks. Tori turned around to face the woman fully, and her breath hitched in her throat when she realized who was sitting there.

Katherine.

"K-Katherine?" Tori asked, her voice rising a bit.

"Hey Tori, fancy meeting you here" she said coolly, standing up and brushing the sand off of her backside. Jade furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what was going on.

"What are you doing here?" Tori asked, walking forward to meet Katherine's outstretched arms.

"Didn't I mention my family had a house out here? From you talking about the city when we last met I realized I hadn't been here in quite a while, so I decided I'd come for a visit, maybe see if I could look you up. But here you are, right in front of me."

The two women met in a hug that Tori swore she'd been waiting her whole life for. The world started spinning at the first hint of Katherine's scent and she gripped her tight, making Katherine smile with pleasure into her neck. They stood for a good minute and just held eachother before Katherine stepped back, placing a light kiss right on Tori's lips. Jade blushed a deep red and looked away, stuffing her hands into her pockets. Tori didn't have eyes for anyone but Katherine in that moment.

"So this is yours?" Tori asked, pointing at the house behind them.

"Yeah. My parents left it to me in their will and since they're gone it's mine now."

"You didn't tell me your parents died. I'm sorry."

"No matter, it wasn't the time for such conversations. Who is your friend here?" Katherine motioned to Jade, who Tori had completely forgotten was there.

"Oh, this is my friend Jade. Jade, this is Katherine."

"Pleasure" Jade said, not moving or making eye contact.

"Well hello Jade, nice to meet you. Is that the rest of your friends you told me about down there?"

"Yeah. We have a little fire going if you want to come back with us and meet them."

"I'd be delighted" Katherine said with a smile, taking Tori's hand in her own as they walked towards the group.

The rest of the group was huddled around the fire making smores from ingredients that Beck had gathered from the house. Cat leaned softly into Robbie's side, who looked like the happiest person on the planet and Andre and Beck discussed a movie they'd seen with sharks. Tori, Jade and Katherine wandered up casually and took empty seats, Katherine sitting next to Tori with their hands still entwined. Andre caught sight of their hands and gave Tori a questioning look, one that was immediately mirrored by Beck.

"Hey Tor, you find a girlfriend on the beach?" Andre asked jokingly, spearing another marshmallow onto his poker.

"Guys, this is Katherine. She stayed with me for a couple days at the cottage when she got separated from her friends in a big storm we got." Everyone said a chorus of 'his' and 'hellos' while Katherine smiled at each in turn, nodding her head gracefully.

"Tori saved my life. I got stuck out in the storm due to snow blindness and I wandered around for hours trying to find anything that could help me. I stumbled to her door in the nick of time, I was almost a goner."

Tori smiled at the memories that flooded back to her mind, and her panties. She readjusted herself on the log and Katherine smiled at her so slightly she almost didn't catch it, an air of understanding passing between them. "I didn't even know she had a house out here, so it's a pretty awesome coincidence that we ran into eachother. She," Tori put an emphasis on her word and jabbed her finger in Katherine's side, "took off with only a note on the counter when her friends showed up and I thought I'd never see her again."

"Well you looked so peaceful in sleep, and I really didn't want to wake you after you'd been so nice and hospitable to me." Jade watched their exchanges with a grimace and kept her mouth shut.

"So what did you guys do out there all alone in the middle of nowhere?" Andre asked, raising his eyebrows twice in quick succession.

"Andre!" Tori chastised, making a face at him.

"Well I can see you're holding hands, and that kinda thing doesn't come out of nowhere. You guys musta had some kind of connection while you were together."

Katherine looked Tori full in the face before she took a breath, and Tori smiled weakly. "We got close, yes. I think it was mostly because of the trauma I'd experienced before I found her, and I was so grateful for her taking me in. We sat by the fireplace and drank cocoa and had cheesecake, talked about life and just got acquainted with eachother. It was a bonding experience in the face of what I thought was going to be certain death."

Cat smiled and giggled like she always did at the sentiment and Jade scowled even further, hating anything to do with gushiness or relationships. After another hour of talking and catching up on everything the group decided to split since it was getting late. Katherine waved to Andre and Beck and then Robbie and Cat, which left Jade, Tori and herself standing by the remains of the fire. Jade looked at Tori expectantly since she was Tori's ride home, and Katherine angled back towards her house.

"It was nice to see you, Tori. I'll be around for a while if you want to drop by. I don't really have much to do so I've just been hanging out on the beach a lot of the time and shopping, so if you want to come with me just give me a call." She grabbed Tori's phone from her back pocket with a wink and stored her number, then put it back where she found it. Tori shivered at the slight touch and bit her lip.

"I would love to. I'm really glad this happened since the odds are so astronomical. It's almost like we were meant to be together."

Jade's face reddened and she turned around to head for the car without a word. Katherine grabbed Tori gently by the hips and brought her in close for a peck on the lips. Tori responded by parting hers slightly, grazing Katherine's bottom lip with her tongue. Her hands slid back into luscious curls and Katherine almost growled into her mouth, breaking the kiss before it got too heated. "There will be time for that soon enough love, for now you better go before your friend leaves you here."

"Okay. Bye Katherine." Tori gave her a longing look and turned to head back up the beach, stumbling a little in the sand after the kiss.

"Until we meet again."

As soon as Tori had caught up with Jade and was well out of range of Katherine she felt a sudden coldness overtake her, and a pang of guilt hit her with urgency. Jade was sitting in the car with her eyes closed, head leaned back on the head rest. She drummed her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, whirring her head around when Tori got into the passenger seat. Tori stared down at the floor, trying to figure out why she'd acted so out of character in front of her friend. It was different being in the cottage with Katherine when it was just the two of them, so far secluded from everything Tori knew; it wasn't complicated and they could enjoy eachother's company with the promise of secrecy. She also knew that her friends would be accepting of her no matter what, but a better first impression could have been made if Tori at least knew what it was she and Katherine had between them.

Jade turned the car on and backed out of the parking spot, setting a course for Tori's house without saying anything. The atmosphere was thick and Tori didn't exactly feel comfortable, and that made her feel even worse. Jade kept her eyes on the road and drove almost robotically, pinpointing accurate turns and stopping so gracefully the car didn't even lurch at the red lights. Tori was nervous about saying anything. She knew her behavior was not that of her usual self, and she wasn't sure she was ready to explain everything that had happened at the cottage yet. Jade didn't make any inquiries though, which actually made the drive a little worse than if she would have.

"So who's the girl? Jade finally asked, not taking her eyes off the road.

"I told you, she came to the cottage-"

"Yeah I know that part, but what's going on between you two? You seemed really weird around her, like relationship weird."

Tori blushed and was glad the darkness of the car hid her face. "We, uh, may have had a moment or two together while she stayed with me. Does that bother you?"

"No, why would it?" Jade asked, the tone of her voice slightly different than usual. "I don't care if you're gay Vega, if I did that would mean I cared about you at all, and I don't."

Tori frowned and leaned against the door, hoping the car ride would be over soon.

The next morning Tori got out of bed and got ready as usual, checking her phone after she got dressed. A message from a name she was glad to see sat waiting patiently in her inbox.

_Hey beautiful, I stole your number when I gave you mine ;) Hope you're not busy today, I'd like to take you out on a proper date. That is, if it's OK with you. Let me know ASAP so I can set things up. -Katherine_

Tori grinned hugely at the message and fired back a reply, telling her she would like that very much. Trina burst into her room right afterward without knocking, looking slightly disheveled.

"What the hell, Trina?"

"Yeah yeah. We're going out to dinner later and mom wants to know your choice. She's gonna pick out of a hat or something lame."

"I have plans tonight."

"Well you better go tell her that yourself, she's not gonna be happy."

"Why, what's the occasion?"

"I'm pretty sure Gary proposed. I saw the ring on the counter yesterday when he was in the bathroom, and the way mom's been acting today shows that she must've said yes."

Tori felt a strong uneasy feeling rise from the bottom of her gut, threatening to pour out of her mouth if she opened it again. She pursed her lips and crossed an arm over her midsection, pleading at her body silently to keep it down.

"Well if you're not gonna say anything I'm leaving." Trina opened the door and walked out, not bothering to close it again behind her.

Tori went through a million emotions at once. At first she was confused, then sad, angry, happy for her mother and then betrayed. She couldn't keep a handle on everything and the pressure made it feel like she was going to fall apart or combust. The silence in the room was all of a sudden unbearable, and the smallest noises like that of the second hand on the clock on her wall sounded like blasting caps, making her cover her ears. Lights popped behind her eyelids and she felt dizzy, stumbling over to take a seat on the edge of the bed. Mrs. Vega was coming up the stairs, and the sound of the light footsteps set Tori's heart racing. She wasn't ready to face her mom with this, not yet. She scrambled to the door and closed it as gently as she could, trying to make it seem like it was already closed to defer her mom from seeking entry. It worked, or so she had thought, since Mrs. Vega didn't end up knocking. Tori felt exhausted all over again, wishing that Katherine was there to hold her in that warm embrace which was so enticing.

About an hour later found Tori laying at the edge of her bed watching TV. Her phone sounded and she reached to answer it, smiling at Katherine's sultry voice on the other end.

"I'm going to pick you up in a half hour, is that OK?"

"Sure" Tori said, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "I've been waiting to get out of here."

"Is everything alright?" Katherine asked, the sound of concern tinged her voice.

"I'm fine, I think. I just have a feeling things are about to change around here and I don't know how to feel about it."

"Well I'll be there soon and we can talk about it. Until then, put on something sexy."

"Why, are we going somewhere special?"

"Not really, I just like your body and want to see you show it off." Tori smiled like a kid and Katherine could hear it over the phone. "I love it when you smile like that."

"I know" Tori replied softly, stifling a giggle.

"Wait for me outside in thirty minutes."

"OK, see you then."

Tori headed downstairs and out the front door, her mom watching her curiously as she went. Tori waved and smiled a little, trying to pass off a good imitation of calm resolution, even though just seeing her mom's face made the feelings kick up a dust storm in her stomach. She shut the door and walked out towards the curb, making perfect time as Katherine pulled up parallel in a dark red BMW. The windows were tinted and the car looked brand new, shining in the afternoon sun. The chrome rims were brilliant and made her eyes water. Tori got in and grabbed her seatbelt, motioning to put it on before a hand clasped around her wrist, stopping it mid-pull. Katherine leaned her whole body over and plastered her lips to Tori's, crushing them down hard. Tori parted hers and sucked in a deep breath, wishing to make the kiss last as long as possible. Katherine ran her hand down Tori's bare leg, salivating at the smoothness of her skin. Tori moaned a little at her touch, digging her nails into her back. Katherine then broke the kiss, staring deep into Tori's eyes.

"Hey" she said simply, winking.

"Hi" Tori croaked, her voice catching so part of the word was missed.

"I'm happy to see you."

"I am too. I still can't believe this is real. What amazing odds that you'd have a house right by my friend's uncle, and happen to be here at the same time we went. It's almost impossible. I would say it's impossible but I can't since it obviously happened, and it makes me think it was meant to."

"I'm glad you feel that way." Katherine said smoothly, her voice fluid like silk in the wind.

"So where are you taking me?" Tori asked with an air of excitement, licking her lips.

"I thought we'd go to the strip and look for some clubbing outfits."

"You planning on getting me a fake ID?"

Katherine smirked. "You don't need an ID honey, you're beautiful."

"I bet you say that to all the girls" Tori joked, but blushed just the same.

"Only the ones I like."

Katherine drove fast, much faster than any of Tori's other friends, though her movements were precise and fluent. She took corners at double the speed a normal driver would yet she did it way more gracefully, staying perfectly in the lines and straightening the car out immediately. Tori watched her with wonder, trying to figure out how she was so effortlessly perfect. Everything she did was with purpose yet without thought, and the whole package was very appealing. Katherine eyed Tori carefully as she turned the final corner to the parking garage across from the strip. Once they were stopped she undid her seatbelt and stayed in her spot, glancing over Tori's figure once more.

"I wish I had a body like yours. You'll look great in anything."

"Your body is amazing" Tori said slowly, looking Katherine over as she did her.

"Thank you." Katherine leaned over and pecked Tori softly on the lips then got out, flittering to the other side of the car to open Tori's door for her.

The two of them hit every store they could find over the next three hours, trying on dresses and skirts, shoes and boots and everything else in between. They latched onto eachother from store to store, openly holding hands and stealing small kisses in front of the passers by, not caring who saw them. Tori felt a freedom with Katherine that she'd never felt before. She knew there had always been a fire in her stomach for the fairer sex, but she never had the courage to really act on it before. Katherine changed that completely and when they were together she didn't even think about boys. The city was a pretty liberal place so they didn't have to deal with any disgusted glances or uncomfortable stares, aside from those of creepy older men perving on them. Katherine ducked into a small shop between two stores that Tori didn't even see and headed towards the back.

"I love this place" she said finally, closing her eyes with a deep breath. "I come here every time I'm in town to see all of the new odd things that have been collected over time. The owner here is a friend of my family and she collects all sorts of occult related things and just weird stuff in general."

Tori looked around slowly, eyes grazing over peculiar objects that seemed dull in the low yellowish light of the small space. She saw a drum that looked quite old and couldn't help wondering if the top was human skin. The thought made her skin crawl and the other items in the shop didn't help that feeling. Shrunken heads and old dirty jars with teeth and other indescribable objects littered the shelves, some floated in liquid and others houses greens like leaves and twigs. An older woman appeared from the back, moving the beaded curtain out of the way as she passed through. Her skin was dark and showed age. Katherine instantly smiled at the sight of the woman and they exchanged a verbal greeting that Tori didn't understand, shaking hands briefly before the woman rounded the counter to the register.

"It's been a long time, Katherine. What can I do for you and your friend?"

"This is Tori, we met up in Alaska last week."

"Nice to meet you Tori" the woman said sweetly, smiling in her direction.

"Thanks, you too. Nice shop."

"You're too kind. Most of the people that come in here only do because they finally noticed the door after passing it so many times and are curious about what's in here, but that's usually the only time they do." She finished her sentence with a laugh.

"I think this stuff is neat." Tori said, continuing to browse the metal pieces in the glass case.

"Well Zola I came to ask you about that thing I called you for last week. Any update?"

"Yes your order is ready, I'll go grab it for you."

The woman disappeared to the back once more and Tori turned to Katherine with a smirk of curiosity. "Your order? What did you get?"

"Oh it's nothing, just a ring I had some work done on."

"Okay, cool. What's going on after this? Any more plans for the evening?"

"Well I thought we could go grab something to eat and then maybe go back to my house for a while?" Katherine smiled in the sly, experienced way she always did and Tori felt a small bubble of heat grow in the pit of her stomach.

"Yeah, sounds good to me."

Zola came back with a box and set it on the counter. Katherine reached into her back pocket and took out a few bills, exchanging them for the package.

"Thanks Zola, I'll be in touch. Maybe we can get together sometime for coffee and catch up properly."

"So I take it you'll be in town for a bit?"

"Maybe, seeing where the wind takes me with this one over here." Katherine jabbed a thumb in Tori's direction.

"Well good luck to the two of you."

"Thanks."

"Thank you" Tori added, waving to the woman before following Katherine out the door.

Night was falling and the street was getting more and more crowded. Tons of kids filled every possible space to move in. Tori and Katherine wove in and out of bikes and skateboards, hand in hand, looking for a comfortable place to eat. Tori spotted a nice cafe style restaurant with an outdoor patio section that was lit up with fake candles all along the outside edge. She tugged on Katherine's arm and pointed to it with her free hand, and Katherine shook her head with a smile. They found the door and entered with the purpose of finding a seat outside. The sun going down had cooled the air off considerably, raising everyone's mood a little. Tori still held Katherine's hand on top of the table while they waited for their server to come take their drink orders. A few moments later a short man with spiky black hair and a kind face showed up, introducing himself as Barry.

"What can I get you ladies to drink?"

Katherine looked at the drink menu while she spoke. "I'll have a scotch, neat, and my girlfriend will have a vodka martini, shaken."

Tori stared at Katherine while trying not to make it too obvious, wondering what she was up to.

"Of course ladies, can I see your Ids?"

"What, you don't believe we're old enough to have a drink? We get stressed too, and just like to be able to take the edge off the day." Katherine leaned forward and laid her chin on her fist, looking the man square in the eye.

"Oh no, I think you are, I was just messing around. I'll go get your drinks and bring them right out."

Katherine smiled at Tori and set the drink menu down on the table, electing to check out the health of her cuticles.

"How did you know he would buckle like that?" Tori asked in amazement, staring at the girl in front of her.

"I'm surprised that's the first question you asked" Katherine said with a hint of humor.

"Why what should I have asked?"

"Well I'd be asking why I called you my girlfriend."

Tori was at a loss for words. She had skipped over that part since her brain wasn't really ready to accept it. She heard the words when they came out, but it seemed like something that was such an impossibility that she just assumed Katherine was being nice or joking around. When Katherine looked back at her in a serious manner, Tori felt her heart flutter in her chest. "Well, I mean I'd like to be your girlfriend, but you said you move around a lot and I can't really go anywhere until I'm done with school."

"That's fine, I can stay around here for a while."

"You know what I just realized, I never even asked you how old you are."

Katherine chuckled softly, her angelic laughter filling the space between them. "I'm nineteen, and I graduated two years ago. I have a large amount of money in the bank from my parents, so I don't really have to work or anything."

"I can't imagine" Tori said softly, daydreaming about what it would be like to be rich.

"It's fun, I have to admit." Barry came back and set their drinks down on the table and took their orders. "I'll have the steak tips, medium rare."

Tori searched the menu quickly one more time. "I'll have the bacon cheeseburger."

"Very well, I'll get that in for you straight away." Barry walked off after flashing them a bright smile.

"Well it sounds fun" Tori added, picking up her drink to smell it.

"With me, you'll never want for anything. I can afford whatever your little heart desires."

"In that case I might just have to let you spoil me and pay you back in a different way." Tori rubbed her foot against Katherine's leg under the table.

"I'll drink to that."

Once they had finished and the bill was paid Katherine led the way back to the car. The night was getting into full swing with street performers sounding off at every corner, crowds of people gathered around to listen and watch. Tori took in her surroundings with curiosity and a hint of distaste. The buildings were large and nice looking, but the brutishness of destroying so much natural land just to build monuments to human consumerism gave her a feeling of regret. If she was in charge, things would be a lot different. Katherine grabbed Tori's hand and smiled at her, noticing the solemn look she was carrying. Tori gripped her hand and squeezed, thankful for the warmth and security it provided in that moment. They headed into the parking garage and found the car a few minutes later, stopping to pay the ticket on the way out. Katherine took a left onto the street and accelerated, looking around lazily.

"Do you want to stop anywhere else or are we good to go?" she asked, looking at Tori out of the corner of her eye.

"Well that depends, do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Tori smiled. "Okay then, can we stop at my house so I can grab my overnight bag?"

"Sure."

The drive to Tori's was short and Katherine parked to the side of the driveway, allowing the car at the top to get out if need be. Tori insisted that Katherine go inside with her to meet her mom, and Katherine laughed softly at the gesture.

"Are we getting married soon then?" she asked, her eyes glinting playfully.

"Maybe, we can in this state." Tori took Katherine's hand and interlocked their fingers as they walked through the front door.

Mrs. Vega was in the kitchen mixing something in a large bowl and Gary sat on the couch in front of the TV, watching some show with a lot of shooting. Trina was painting her toenails at the kitchen table, a sight that made Tori grimace. "We have to eat there, Trina."

"My feet are pristine little one, don't worry."

"Hey sweetie, I'm glad you're here," Mrs. Vega said, dropping the whisk into the bowl, "Gary and I wanted to talk to the both of you and since we're never all together in the same room, we might as well do it now."

"Okay. Everyone this is my friend Katherine. We met when I was up at the cottage."

"Hi." said Katherine sweetly, smiling her million dollar smile.

Gary turned around on the couch. "Fairbanks, huh? Do you live up there or were you on vaca like Tor?"

"I was camping with some friends, got lost and found Tori's place. She was kind enough to take me in for a couple days."

"Well that was nice of you honey" Mrs. Vega said, pouring the batter into a cake pan.

Tori blushed a little at what was on the tip of her tongue. "Yeah, we had a good time. And now we're, uh, kind of...dating."

Trina raised an eyebrow at the table and stared right at her. Gary blinked absently a few times but didn't say anything either, and Mrs. Vega just smiled brightly and continued on with what she was doing.

"That's great honey, I'm glad you two are happy together."

"Your daughter is really great Mrs. Vega" Katherine said, grabbing Tori's hand affectionately.

"Barf" Trina scoffed, cleaning up around her nails with a cotton ball.

"So what is it you wanted to talk about mom?"

"Oh right, just a sec."

Mrs. Vega put the cake pan into the oven and brought the whisk over to Tori, handing it to her so she could eat the left over chocolate batter off of it. Tori smiled and held it in front of her so Katherine could share with her, and they both closed their eyes appreciatively at the smooth sweetness. Tori swiped a little onto her index finger and reached forward, dragging it lightly across Katherine's bottom lip. She could see Katherine's body jolt just slightly before she parted her lips, sucking the batter off of the tip of Tori's finger. They smiled at eachother and Katherine winked softly, nibbling on the edge of her lip where Tori's finger left off.

"That's disgusting" Trina said, pushing past them to get to the couch.

"Just because you're single doesn't mean you have to get mad at me."

Gary chuckled and then looked guilty when Trina glared at him. Everyone took seats on the two couches in the living room and when Mrs. Vega came in she cleared her throat, ready to get the news out.  
"Well, you know that Gary and I have been seeing eachother for a while, and we've grown quite fond of eachother. Over the last few months we've been spending a lot of time together and gotten to know eachother really well, and have found out that we're even more compatible than we even knew. That said, I've asked Gary to move in with us."

"Whatever works" Trina said, not looking up from her toes. "I don't really care either way."

"That's very helpful Trina. What about you, Tor? How do you feel about this?"

Tori had stiffened in her seat, not able to make eye contact with anyone. Katherine had sensed her stress and allowed Tori to melt into her side, wrapping a supporting arm around her waist. Tori leaned her head on Katherine's shoulder and tried to process how she felt, but the emotions came and went so fast she couldn't get a handle on any one of them. "You guys have only been seeing eachother officially for three months. Dad's barely been gone that long. Are you sure we're ready for this?"

Mrs. Vega gave a supporting smile and Gary looked grave. "Well honey, when you're our age you don't really want to waste any more time than you have to. We like eachother and we want to see how this will go."

"I can understand that, but it feels too fast for me. This whole relationship is awkward anyway. You were his partner Gary, for twenty five years. And now you're moving into our home? It doesn't feel right."

"I know kiddo, but-"

"Please don't call me that, my dad calls me that."

"I'm sorry, Tori; I know it's a little weird to get used to at first, but you're a smart young woman and I know you know that the world doesn't always work the way it should and that not every situation is black and white."

"I do know that, and I sympathize with your position, but it doesn't change the way I feel about it."

"Jesus Tori just get over it. Mom's happy and dad will find someone soon enough, just let them do what they want to do." Trina leaned back on the couch and flicked through her phone, sending someone messages through The Slap.

"Trina, that's enough." Mrs Vega said softly, a tone of worry and sadness audible in her polite command.

"I'm sorry mom. I'm glad you're happy and everything but it just makes me uncomfortable. I'm not used to the idea of dad being gone yet and as much as I do like you Gary, having you be around all the time, knowing that my dad is never coming back, just makes me feel jumbled and anxious."

"I understand." Gary said softly, looking especially guilty.

"Well Tori, I'm sorry you feel that way, but the wheels are already in motion. Gary put in his notice to his landlord and the apartment's already been rented, so he'll be moving his things over in a couple days."

Tori felt tears sting her eyes and she wanted to run away. "Well then why did you even bother with this little bullshit pow-wow? If you weren't going to actually take our feelings into account for your decision it doesn't matter. I'm glad to see you were really worried about it."

"Now hold on sweetheart-"

"No, I'm done with this. I'm going to Katherine's for the night."

"I have a suggestion" Katherine added quietly, looking back and forth from Tori to her mom.

"What's that dear?" Mrs. Vega asked, watching her curiously.

"If Tori wants to she can come stay with me. I live only about fifteen minutes away from here, and she'd be even closer to school than she is now. Every teenager's dream is to live on their own for their senior year, and you'd be allowing her to do that while still being close enough to see her whenever you want. She has her own car so transportation isn't a problem, and I have a rather large house that I live in by myself, so I could use the company."

Tori stared at Katherine in shock, her mouth gaped open in a perfect 'o' shape. Trina snarled at them both, obviously jealous of the amazing opportunity Tori had. Mrs. Vega looked sad and brought her eyes down to the floor, clasping her hands together.

"I don't know. I just met you Katherine, and while you seem nice I don't really feel like I'd want my daughter to go live with someone I don't really know."

"I know her mom, and we're good together. We're good to eachother, and really this situation is best for everyone."

Gary's jaw flexed over and over like he was grinding his teeth, not making eye contact with anyone in the room. Tori felt bad for him momentarily, knowing how awkward he must be feeling. First he causes their dad to split from the family and now one of the daughters as well. It was almost as if he was chipping away all the extra gristle to get just the meat he wanted.

"I don't like it, but if that's really want you want I guess I can't stop you. You'll be eighteen soon and the decision is ultimately yours, so you can do as you wish."

"Okay, I'll start packing my stuff tomorrow, today's been a long day. We're gonna get out of here for now though."

"Alright honey. I'm sorry this all went kinda screwy." Mrs. Vega stepped forward and hugged Tori tightly, putting all of her love into the embrace.

"It's not your fault mom, it's just the way it happened."

Gary stood up and wiped his hands on his jeans, bouncing up on down on the heels of his feet. "Well Tori I have to admit I feel pretty terrible. I've already split this family up once and now I'm doing it again, and it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I really care about your mom and your dad is still my best friend, even though I'm not his anymore. I hope you don't hate me or see me as a monster tearing your family apart."

Tori huffed out a breath and walked forward, reaching her hand out towards him. He shook it and smiled the best he could, looking guilty and defeated. "I don't hate you Gary, not at all, I just don't care much for the situation. It'll fall into place over time though, we just gotta let it go the way it wants."

"I suppose you're right."

"I'm gonna go grab my overnight bag, Katherine you wanna come up?"

"Sure."

They both headed up into Tori's room and Katherine sat on the big plush bed, watching Tori grab some clothes and shove them into the bag. The walls were a light blue color with nothing on them except for a few pictures and a small mirror. The desk held her laptop and iPod which she grabbed and put into the bag along with their respective chargers. Katherine walked over to the dresser and smelled the different perfumes that sat along the edge, taking one over to Tori and spraying a bit on her wrist. Tori rubbed them together and dabbed her neck before Katherine embraced her fully, their lips meshing perfectly. Their bodies pressed together and the feeling of completeness from the couch in the cottage hit Tori's center like a ton of bricks, making her whole body tingle. Katherine inhaled her scent and grabbed her hips roughly, pushing her up against the dresser hard. Tori brought her head back to suck in a breath and laid a hand on Katherine's shoulder, steadying them so she could calm down a bit.

"We should wait until we get to your house for that."

"Don't you mean our house?" Katherine asked, a playful glint in her eye.

Tori giggled and hugged her before returning to packing. Once she was satisfied she had everything she needed they went back downstairs and said their goodbyes, making plans to be back the next day to grab more things. Mrs. Vega looked upset but she gave her blessing. The girls got into Katherine's car and took off towards the shore, and Tori's head filled with the wondrous possibilities of living on her own with Katherine in a house with no parents and no rules. She smiled out the window as the sun cast brilliant colors across the sky, excited for a new chapter to start.

**A/N: I got asked a few times to continue this, and I had planned on writing some more of this pairing so I figured I could extend it a bit even though I didn't originally set out to. This chapter was pretty Victorious centric since Tori had just come home from Alaska and saw her friends and whatnot, but we'll move into complete AU territory soon. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'm going to be working on a plotline to hopefully carry this piece a bit if you guys want me to. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

They arrived at the house shortly after dark and carried in Tori's luggage. The inside of the house was even more immaculate than the outside. High ceilings and low wood floors gave the room a very open, airy feel, and the large picture windows in the back of the sitting room allowed a perfect view of the beach. The waves lapped quietly against the shore, ebbing and flowing the way they always have. Katherine watched Tori as she walked around and took in her new surroundings. She was mostly confident that Tori would like the place, but a small part of her was a little worried and that was something she wasn't used to. When Tori had drank her fill of the scenery in their immediate area she turned back to Katherine for guidance on what to do next.

"How are, uh," Tori stuttered a little, glancing from Katherine's eyes to the floor, "how are we doing the room situation?" she finally blurted out, feeling stupid about her nervousness.

"Well since you said you wanted to be my girlfriend at dinner but had your reservations we haven't really discussed it any further."

Tori bit her lip gently. "I do, but I'm just...afraid."

Katherine blinked slowly and her dark eyes shimmered beautifully. She walked forward and set her hands gently on Tori's hips, looking at her with a piercing gaze of longing. "Don't be afraid darling, I'm not going anywhere. I've been searching for you for a _long _time."

Tori felt a shiver trace her spine from the way the words escaped Katherine's lips. She could hear the sincerity in them, the desperate need to feel wanted that she knew so well herself. "You're so beautiful. I never imagined I'd be with a woman, much less someone so elegant and graceful as you."

"I have many years of practice." Katherine eyed Tori playfully.

"Well you're only two years older than me and I can't even come close to the confident languidness you have."

"I'll teach you, someday." Katherine pressed her lips to Tori's softly, tasting strawberry lipgloss and hot breath. "I guess if we're together now, you have the option of sleeping in my bed with me. If you want to, that is."

Tori smiled so wide she wondered if her face would stick that way, grabbing her bags up immediately. "I'd love that. Lead the way."

Katherine walked the familiar route out of the east end of the sitting room. The attached corridor was dark and lengthy, the carpet a dark red crushed velvet. The house itself had a very Victorian era feel to it, lots of very ornate furniture and painting frames that looked ancient. Everything was preserved with a finesse that screamed old world craftsmanship and Tori really enjoyed it. She counted maybe ten bedrooms and twelve bathrooms since each room had it's own, plus one on each floor. Katherine must have had a large family to require a house this big, either that or she had a lot of friends stay over. They stopped at the end of the corridor in front of a heavy looking oak door with a gold doorknob. Katherine turned around and faced Tori with an air of mischievousness, beckoning her forward with her index finger. Tori stepped up so their midsections were barely touching and Katherine kissed her lightly once more before scooping Tori up in her arms, garnering a look of surprise. She opened the door and carried Tori across the threshold, over to the massive four-poster bed. Katherine laid her down and smiled kindly, taking one of Tori's hands in her own. "Welcome to the Pierce master suite."

The walls were a really dark mahogany with matching furniture throughout. One wall was made entirely of glass with long black curtains that drew from the sides, tied into themselves with a golden rope. A portrait hung above the desk that held a jewelry box and some makeup. Tori looked at it closely and realized the portrait was of Katherine herself, but the attire dated back centuries. She wore a dark blue corset and her hair fell in loose ringlets around her shoulders, landing aside a small sapphire pendant that hung lazily between her breasts. Her smile was sweet and sad at the same time, her seemingly unnatural beauty radiated even through the canvas. Katherine watched Tori as she stared at the painting, taking it in fully as best she could.

"A friend of our family specialized in art. Finding it, authenticating it, appraising it, whatever. He was quite skilled himself as you can see, and when he asked to paint me one day I obliged. He had the idea of making it seem like an old royal portrait that you'd see in an English castle, and I thought it would be fun."

"He really is amazing. The frame, the way the canvas looks dated. It's all really incredible."

"I'm glad you like it" Katherine said softly, smiling to herself. "The closet is a walk-in, so you can take your suitcases and start hanging things up where you find space. If you take the few things off the right side of mine and move them over you can have that side for yourself."

"Thanks" Tori said, looking over Katherine's figure. "We're pretty much the same size in almost everything, so whatever of mine you want to wear, feel free."

"You as well, my dear. I've picked up quite a wardrobe over time in my travels, so there should be some interesting pieces for you. There are definitely some I can't wait to see you in."

Tori blushed and unlocked her first suitcase, grabbing her dresses and nice shirts to hang up. She noticed a full wall on the right side was a giant shoe rack with everything from flats to pumps to high heeled boots. The sheer amount of them was amazing in itself, but the selection was even more impressive. Every color and pattern you could possibly want stretched from wall to wall, floor to ceiling. When she was done hanging things up she slid the suitcase on the top shelf of the closet in the corner and headed back into the room, grabbing the second one to unload her undergarments and pajamas.

"Do you have some crates or something that I can put this stuff in? Or I can keep them in the suitcase and just slide it under the bed."

Katherine giggled softly and shook her head, crossing the room to stand in front of Tori. "My love, I told you you'd want for nothing, and I meant it. I'll have a new dresser delivered tomorrow."

"You don't have to do that" Tori started, before Katherine closed the space and stopped her mid sentence with a kiss.

"I want to. I would very much love it if you got used to me spoiling you."

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to something like that, but I'll try if it makes you happy."

"Everything about you makes me happy" Katherine whispered, kissing her again and again. "I'm sure you're probably tired so if you want to take a shower and head to bed I'll get everything set up for you."

"That would be great, thanks."

Katherine showed Tori to the master bathroom through a door in the upper left corner. The bathroom itself was about the size of the living room at her old house and the space was baffling. A jacuzzi settled into one corner while a stand up shower settled in the corner opposite it, with a free standing bathtub in the bottom right and his and her sinks opposite it. Her and her sinks, might as well say. The fixtures were gold and shaped like spades, shining brightly in the bathroom light. Two silk robes hung on the back of the door, one a dark red and the other a dark blue. Tori noticed a pattern of the colors in this house, everything was dark. She really liked the way it looked, it was easy on her eyes and the flow of place was very elegant and exciting. Not feeling like dragging it out Tori elected to use the stand up shower for the night, slipping her shirt off over her head.

"I'll head out and let you get to it" Katherine said, her voice barely above a whisper although a smile lit up her face.

"Don't go just yet" Tori said, unhooking her bra and letting it fall to the floor. Katherine followed the garment as it fell and then looked up the tan woman's body slowly, stopping momentarily at the round, perky breasts she remembered so well from the cottage. Her nipples were hard and stood at attention, goosebumps covering her skin from the slight chill of the air. Tori felt giddy at the hungry eyes sweeping over her body while she grabbed at her pants button, sliding her jeans and her panties down at the same time. She stood stark naked in front of Katherine and paid attention to her posture, straightening her back and keeping her chin up.

"You are the most exquisite creature I've ever laid eyes on" Katherine purred, running her hands lightly over Tori's midsection. Tori moaned softly and closed her eyes, feeling electric at the touch of the skilled fingers caressing her.

"I'm nothing compared to you, though" Tori mused, eyes still closed.

"Mi amor, I promise you one day soon we will spend sun up to sun down in that four-poster in the next room, and by the time I'm done with you you will hold yourself in as high a regard as I do."

Tori smiled and kissed Katherine's lips once, twice, then on the cheek and the jaw, neck and collar bone. "You always know what to say to make me smile."

"I hope to always make you smile. Forever."

"Forever is a long time" Tori joked, heading to the shower to turn the water on and let it warm up.

Katherine watched her luscious curves sway side to side, a hunger burning in her stomach and throat. She spoke to herself more than to Tori, and her voice was low. "You have no idea."

When Tori woke up Katherine was already out of bed. It seemed like she'd been gone for a while since her side of the bed was cold and Tori rolled into it, inhaling Katherine's scent in the sheets. Her eyes roamed throughout the room before they landed on a new addition; a large mahogany dresser identical to the one Katherine had. Tori smiled brightly and got out of bed, keen on getting her things into it so she could go find Katherine and thank her. After she filled the drawers her bathroom routine was next, and that only took a few minutes. Downstairs soft classical music sounded from the kitchen, but due to the openness of the floor plan and size of the rooms it seemed to fill the entire house. Tori descended the stairs and rounded the first corner on the right to find Katherine cooking something that smelled like ham. She heard Tori's footsteps and turned around to greet her with a smile, wearing an apron that said 'kiss the chef.'

"Good idea" Tori said, her voice cracking a bit from first use. She stepped up and kissed Katherine lightly on the lips. "Morning."

"Good morning love, I was wondering when you would get up."

Tori looked at the clock and realized it was almost noon. "Holy cow, I must've been more tired than I thought."

"You looked so beautiful in sleep, soft and calm, at peace with everything. I couldn't bare to wake you."

"Sometimes the way you say things makes me feel like you live in the wrong time."

Katherine smiled and chuckled to herself. "So I've been told."

"The way you speak is really nice, people don't speak with a respect for language and the beauty of words anymore."

"Well if I didn't know any better I'd say the same about you." Katherine added, turning from the stove to the island with a pan which had been used to sear ham steaks. "I hope you're hungry."

"Starving."

The girls ate brunch and watched the waves out the window. The flatscreen on the wall was tuned to the local news channel which broadcast the day's high temperature of one hundred and three. Tori grimaced and rolled her eyes, getting a hiccupy laugh from Katherine. "You don't like it when it's that hot?"

"Ugh, no. Can we go swimming later?"

"Whatever you want, dollface. Maybe you can call some of your friends over? They seem like nice people."

"Yeah they are, I'm sure at least one or two of them will be able to. I'm really glad that you want to get to know my friends and stuff so quickly, it makes me feel more secure."

"Well your friends and family make you who you are, and since I like who you are I'm sure I'll like them. I want to be a part of your life and to do that I need to get acquainted with the rest of it."

Tori's heart sped up a little and she felt a little floaty. Katherine noticed the glassy look in her eyes and her breath hitched; she had a feeling she knew what that look was. They finished eating and Katherine grabbed the plates, rinsing them off clean before putting them in the dishwasher. Tori watched her work, looking away quickly when it seemed that Katherine would look in her direction. She was going through a lot of feelings and had no idea how to separate them to figure it all out. Everything had happened so quickly. When she left the cottage she didn't expect to ever see Katherine again, much less run into her the next day, and now they were in a relationship and living together. Situations like this only happen in fairy tales. "I don't know what I did to deserve you Katherine, but I'm happy to be here."

"Me too, sweet. Call your friends and I'll head to the store to pick some things up."

Tori got a hold of Beck and Robbie, and Jade since she was hanging out with Beck. Two of them agreed to stop by and Jade would be dragged along unwillingly, since she was with Beck and he was her ride home. Robbie was hanging out by himself since Cat was gone for the day with her family and Andre was busy in the studio. When she finished with the phone calls Tori set a course for the other corridor that branched off on the opposite side of the kitchen that she'd entered, wondering about the rest of the house. Katherine hadn't given her a full tour yet since they had gotten back late, so Tori figured she'd take it upon herself to explore a little. This corridor was similar to the other, with the same carpet and old paintings lining the walls. A small desk situated into an indent in the wall about half way down, playing host to a large silver candelabra with long white candles in it. A family crest was inlaid at the bottom with a large P in the center. The desk drawers were empty aside from a pack of matches to light the candles and a dark blue ring box, like the one you'd open in a marriage proposal. Tori didn't want to invade too much so she shut the drawer without looking in the case and headed further down the corridor. There was a small room at the end with doors leading out the left and right sides. The room was about the same size as her own room at her mom's house, with small windows that bore no light due to being covered by heavy curtains. It was dark as no light was getting in so she searched with her hand for a light switch, finding one and flicking it upward. The light sprang on but was very dim, maybe only 30 watts.

The first door on the left led down chipped cobble stairs to a basement area that Tori didn't dare venture down into by herself. It was musty and extremely dark; the sort of blackness you feel you can almost cut tangibly. She shut the door softly and headed for the other door opposite it, finding a large wine cellar. This room was double the size of the room she'd just left and was lined floor to ceiling on all four sides with wine racks. Small signs nailed to the racks in different places marked the decades of the bottles, the oldest ones dating all the way back to the thirteen hundreds. Tori couldn't help but wonder how a seemingly normal nineteen year old girl like Katherine could get her hands on seven hundred year old wine, but she remembered how Katherine's parents were supposedly extremely wealthy. Tori inspected a few of the bottles and then turned to leave the room, closing the door behind her.

A large ornate vase stood on a cherry table at the head of the room she had entered originally, setting it apart from other rooms in the house. The vase was a bright white and stood out with stark contrast, seeming to almost glow in the lack of sufficient light. Old English lettering spelled out 'Petrova' on the front with fleur-de-lys all around it. Upon closer inspection Tori noticed a small picture laying flat in front of the vase. It was a hand sketched portrait of a young woman and a baby standing in front of a saw mill. The paper was extremely yellowed and very fragile looking, showing its extreme age. She was nervous that by handling it the paper might rip or even fall apart completely, so she resolved to just looking at it. While she was carefully studying the young woman's face she felt a presence behind her and turned to find Katherine standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed.

"Oh hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"Hey. I see you've been finding your way around the place."

"Yeah, I hope that's okay" Tori said meekly, hoping she hadn't done something disrespectful. She knew the rich types of families had certain customs and manners of doing all sorts of things and hoped that Katherine would be different.

"It's quite alright Tori" Katherine said, an air of wonder about her. "I was going to give you a full tour when the opportunity presented itself, so I guess we can start now."

"I'd like that" Tori said smiling, waiting for Katherine to point her in the right direction.

"This over here," Katherine pointed to the left door, "is the basement. It's just storage and empty space really."

"Yeah I didn't plan on going down there by myself" Tori said with a laugh.

"It can be quite dark down there, I don't blame you. This side is the wine cellar. Pretty exquisite selection if I do say so myself."

"We'll have to pop one of those corks sometime and celebrate our good fortune in finding eachother again."

Katherine stepped around the side of Tori and up to her back, tracing a light index finger around Tori's hip. She pressed herself up against Tori, her pelvis grinding against the delicate curves of her perfect ass as she wrapped her arms around Tori's waist and clasped her fingers together, whispering softly into the side of her neck. "Do you believe it was fate that brought us together?"

"Must be, I can't imagine how else we would run into eachother again after such a, well, 'fateful' encounter. The first time when you showed up at the cottage and now here, the odds are pretty discouraging."

"I've been known to get lucky from time to time."

Tori smiled and leaned her head back against Katherine's shoulder, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. Her eyes roamed across the picture again, peaking her interest once more. "Who's in the picture?"

Katherine didn't even have to look to know what she was referring to. "It's an old friend of the family. Her name was Katerina, and that was her son. She passed a long time ago, and I'm her namesake."

"Did you know her?" Tori asked, her voice soft but steady.

"A little bit. I was young, so I remember bits and pieces but not a whole lot."

"Well she looks pretty, and happy. I'm sorry to hear that she's gone."

"Thank you. We should get back into the main area of the house, I got a bunch of stuff for a barbeque."

"Really?" Tori asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"Yes, really. You wanna help me cook?"

"Yes, yes I do."

The girls headed back into the kitchen and Katherine got the steaks and ribs out, setting them on the counter for preparation. She headed out to scrape the grill and light it while Tori seasoned the cuts of meat using a special rubbing that Katherine already had prepared in a ziplock bag. They worked silently for a few minutes until Katherine came back inside and turned the TV to one of the cable channels that plays music twenty four seven. This Town Needs Guns was playing and they both swayed to the music as they completed their tasks, getting more excited to hang out on the beach for the night.

An hour or so later Beck and Jade showed up together and rang the doorbell. The sound pierced through the quiet house and seemed to echo forever before Tori ran to answer the door. Beck smiled and nodded his head gently as a sign of hello, while Jade scowled and didn't make eye contact. Tori smiled and moved aside to let them in, used to Jade's peculiar behavior. The two guests walked in and took a look around, drinking in the vastness of the sitting room. Beck's eyebrows raised as he examined the heavy mahogany furniture, gripping it tightly in appreciation of it's fine craftsmanship. Jade stood awkwardly in the middle of the room with her arms wrapped around herself, not saying anything or looking at anything in particular.

"Thanks for coming, guys." Tori said, leading the way into the kitchen. "It was pretty warm today so I figured I'd see if anyone wanted to go for a swim or something."

"Yeah, thanks for the invite. The timing was good too, I was telling Jade we should go to the movies or somewhere with air conditioning." Beck reached over and grabbed a watermelon cube from a tray on the island, licking his lips appreciatively.

Tori looked at Jade deliberately. "Thanks for coming Jade. I know you probably don't want to be here and you only are since you have no choice, but I'm glad you came."

"Yeah yeah, it's my pleasure." Jade said, full of indifference and boredom.

"Where's Katherine?" Beck asked, taking a seat on one of the stools.

"She's up in our room changing I think."

Jade's head snapped up and looked Tori right in the eye. "_Our _room?"

Tori blushed a fierce red and suddenly felt like the large kitchen was way too small. "Um, yeah. I, uh, we-"

"We are a couple, and Tori decided to move in with me." Katherine had entered the room silently and walked slowly up to Tori, stretching an arm around her waist. "We talked to her mom about the benefits of living on her own during senior year as preparation for adulthood and she seemed to think it was a good idea in the long run. So now we're together and happy." She leaned over and kissed Tori softly on the cheek, getting polar opposite responses from Beck and Jade.

Beck smiled a dopey boy smile at the sight of two pretty girls together and Jade looked absolutely disgusted, like she would throw up at any moment. Tori watched Jade closely as mixed emotions flashed across her face. Nausea, anger, maybe even hurt. Why would she feel so strongly about Tori being with another girl? The question bounced around in Tori's head until Katherine squeezed her arm tighter in a half embrace, leaving them to go tend the grill. Beck smelled the barbeque glaze from the porch so he followed Katherine out to inspect what was for dinner, leaving Jade and Tori by themselves. The tension was thick enough to put a physical barrier between them and hot enough that it could be cut with a dull butter knife. Jade's eyes raked over Tori's body once, twice, and settled on her face.

"How long have you even known her? A week, tops?"

"So what? I've gotten closer to her in a few days than I have to anyone else in my entire life. She cares about me and I care about her. We're good to eachother and we're happy. She actually likes having me around, unlike someone else I know."

Jade winced and hugged herself tighter, looking down at her boots. "You think I'm a bitch to you because I hate you and don't want you around, right?"

"What else would I think?" Tori asked plainly, shifting her weight to her right leg.

"I don't know. I guess I would think the same thing."

"Well apparently you don't approve of my choices and that's fine, seeing as we aren't really friends anyway. Beck is okay with it, and Andre said he would be fine with it. Cat couldn't have a problem with it even if she wanted to I don't think, and Robbie is probably ambidextrous himself."

"So that just leaves me, huh?" Jade said softly, taking a step back.

"Sadly enough yeah, it does." Tori turned towards the door Katherine and Beck had disappeared out of moments earlier and took a few steps in that direction before Jade's voice sounded again, loud and clear.

"I'm in love with you Tori."

The air in the room seemed to have turned to wool. Tori was suddenly claustrophobic and felt like she was being pushed from all sides, her throat scratchy and hot. She turned around and looked at Jade, who at this point had tears in her eyes. Tori couldn't imagine the girl who had tortured her day in and day out for a whole year had any sort of feelings for her other than hate. Jade finally looked up and took a few steps in Tori's direction, hiccuping a little each step. She reached out and touched Tori's arm, shaking so hard that Tori's arm was vibrating as well. They made eye contact and Tori felt her heartbeat quicken, wondering what was going to happen next.

"I've always been curious about you. Ever since you sang at the showcase I couldn't get you off my mind, no matter what I did. I tried to hate you and be mean to you thinking I'd forget about you. I thought that if I demonized you my subconscious would finally let me get back to normal so I could try getting back together with Beck or something, but you were always there. I've never been with a woman before but I've thought about it, and ever since I met you you've been the subject of all of those thoughts. I've dreamed about kissing you, touching you. I've dreamed about sleeping with you, side by side, cuddled into eachother. I was confused about all those feelings since my father always told me that being gay just makes your life harder, and with the career path I want I didn't think I could handle it being any harder than it already is. I wanted to forget about you and all the feelings I'd been trying, and failing, to deal with, but it never got any easier. I'm sorry I've always been so mean to you. I love you, Tori. And I want you for myself."

Tori had no idea what to say or do at that moment. Katherine was angled towards the door, unmoving, as Tori could see out of the corner of her eye. Jade had tears spilling down her cheeks and she sniffled lightly, bringing her head down so she could wipe her face off with the bottom of her shirt. A multitude of feelings flew through Tori's mind and body, everything from excited to angry to sad. She had once thought about Jade in a romantic way when she'd first broken up with her last boyfriend. They got along okay but Tori felt herself making excuses to not be alone together since she wasn't comfortable making out with him, and she didn't even think about doing other stuff with him. The first time she had a thought about a girl she got so excited that she soaked her panties in less than a minute, giving her the answers she'd been looking for. Shortly after she had taken to looking at some of the different girls at Hollywood Arts to see what kind of reactions she would have. A lot of the pretty girls made Tori's body tingle a bit and her mind wander, wondering what certain things felt or tasted like. One day she was scoping out a tall brunette before the girl wandered off with her friends, and Tori's eyes fell subsequently on Jade. Tori didn't think anything of it at first, but then a fantasy had evolved with Jade in the center of it. She played it off quickly since Jade was always so hateful towards her, and she didn't want to get stuck on something that wouldn't happen. These memories flooded back as Jade stared at the floor with her hands in her pockets, waiting for an answer. Tori cleared her throat and spoke as clearly as she could.

"If this would have been a few weeks ago Jade, it would be an entirely different situation. I used to think of you as a potential partner until you got particularly nasty towards me, then I shut that part of my mind off when you were around to protect myself. I thought you were beautiful and I always imagined that there was a nice part of you that some people got to know, but I never thought that I would get to know that part. If this was a few weeks ago, I would have jumped at the chance to kiss you and get to know you better, but it's now, and my situation is different. I have someone I care about a lot and that cares about me. Katherine and I are happy together. She makes me feel wanted and special, like a princess in a fairy tale. The way she looks at me and the way she touches me is just...loving."

"She can't love you already, you haven't even known eachother for ten days." Jade spat, getting more spiteful by the second. "I've known you for over a year."

"Yeah, you've had that entire year to make a move if you wanted to, and you chose to make that move at the one wrong time. I'm sorry if seeing me with someone else is what triggered your bravery, but we aren't even very good friends, much less compatible lovers. All I really know about you is that you're great at making people feel terrible about themselves."

"I don't do it on purpose." Jade said softly, her mood changing back from anger to sadness. "People have always given me a hard time for how I dress or whatever, so I give it right back."

"Well I'm sorry you have to deal with that, but honestly Jade, your timing is awful."

Jade laughed to herself and wiped her tears again, taking a deep breath in and out. "Yeah, I guess it is. I'm sorry Tori, I shouldn't have even bothered saying anything. I don't know what I expected. Actually, I do. I wanted you to say you love me too and that you'd drop everything for me, but saying it out loud makes me realize how stupid I was for even thinking that. I do love you, and part of loving someone is wanting them to be happy no matter what, and if Katherine makes you happy, then everything is the way it should be."

Tori smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, walking forward to take Jade in her arms. Jade's whole body tensed at their contact and Tori almost stepped back, not thinking through what she was doing to Jade at the moment. She resolved to strengthen the contact and hug Jade really tightly, trying to show her that nothing awkward would stay between them and that there was potential for a new friendship there. Jade caught on and hugged her back, inhaling her scent deeply since she had the chance. They broke apart and Tori looked over at the patio, seeing Beck and Katherine sitting side by side looking out at the water. Katherine was pointing to different spots and Beck would crane his neck to get a better view. The doorbell rang again and Tori ran through the sitting room to answer it, seeing Robbie and Rex. She waved them in and Robbie looked around in awe the same way the others did before heading through to the kitchen. Jade saw them and rolled her eyes, heading towards the patio door. Tori followed behind them and grabbed the fruit platter off the counter to take to the patio table.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill they waited a bit before swimming by playing blackjack at the outside table. Katherine dealt as the rest of them played eachother with Beck in the clear lead. He smiled confidently as the next hand was dealt but donned a stone cold poker face as soon as his cards landed on the table. Tori fought back the urge to laugh at his professionalism and threw her cards on the table, having busted immediately. The sound of the tide lapping against the beach was soothing and inviting. A few hands later everyone felt they'd waited long enough and used the multiple bathrooms in the house to change into bathing suits. Katherine disappeared upstairs and Tori followed suit, but not before catching Jade's eye watching them go up the curved staircase. When Tori got into their bedroom Katherine was already in the bathroom changing, but had left a suit for Tori out on the bed. While changing the bathroom door opened and Katherine slipped into the room quietly, stepping up behind Tori to tie her top for her. When the strings were all done up Katherine planted small kisses all over the exposed skin of Tori's shoulders, inciting a few small moans of pleasure. Tori turned around in their embrace and pressed her lips hard to Katherine's, sliding her tongue between her lips gingerly. Katherine tasted of tangy barbeque sauce and wine, and the mixture was tantalizing. The kiss heated up quickly but before Katherine could get her fingers inside Tori's bottoms Tori stopped them, pushing lightly on Katherine's tight stomach.

"We have guests to entertain."

"You are mine later, I promise you."

"Well I hope you keep your promises."

Everyone was set to hit the beach and Tori led the way. The sun was just beginning to lower in the sky so the heat had died down a bit, bringing a little relief with the sea breeze. Jade sat in the sand and let the water curl up around her, not actually getting all the way in. Beck watched her from a distance with a grimace, looking away when she caught him. Tori floated in a sitting position in Katherine's arms like she was being carried out of a burning building by a firefighter. They laughed quietly as Robbie and Rex argued about the last girl Robbie talked to; Rex said she only did it because her friends dared her to and Robbie defended himself the best he could, ultimately deciding Rex was right and giving up. Tori felt bad for Robbie since he was actually a nice guy, but no one ever gave him a chance because of Rex. Beck swam over to the two girls and nodded somberly to Tori, turning to float on his back with his eyes closed. Small waves rocked them back and forth as the sun continued to lower millimeters at a time, creating a sunburst into the low-lying cloud cover.

"Hey Beck, you alright?" Tori asked, leaning her head back against Katherine's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about Jade. She's been upset about something for the past couple days and she won't tell me what it is. She's always at least given me a hint at what's going on in her life, even if she doesn't come out and say it directly. This time though, she won't even talk about it. I bring it up and she changes the subject or just sits there quietly until I give up. I know we're not together anymore but she's still my friend and I care about her, and I just want to be able to help."

Tori smiled a little sadly at Beck. "She...she's just having a hard time with something. I'm sure she'll tell you when she feels the time is right."

"Do you know, then?" Beck asked, his eyes pleading.

"Yes, but I don't think it's my place to say anything about it."

Beck scrunched his eyebrows together. "She told you and not me? I'm not trying to imply anything but from what I gathered the two of you aren't really pals."

Tori laughed softly. "Yeah no, we're not the best of friends that's true. It just had something to do with me, which is the only reason I know. Give her some time and don't press the issue, she'll come to you eventually."

"I suppose you're right. Thanks." Beck backstroked away to join in on the conversation between Robbie and Rex while Katherine played with Tori's hair.

"You're such a saint" Katherine said, kissing Tori lightly on the neck. "I think later- oh that would be my phone, I'll be right back."

Tori looked bewildered at the petite brunette. "You can hear that all the way over here?"

"It's a gift" Katherine called back with a wink, swimming to the shore.

Twenty minutes later Beck had gotten out and was sitting by Jade in the sand and Katherine hadn't returned, so Tori decided it was time to head back. She swam to the beach and climbed out, flinging water off of her body with her hands as she walked to the deck. Beck looked up and smiled kindly as she passed and she returned it with one of her own. The towels were laid across the back of the deck and Tori grabbed one as she stepped up the last of the stairs, drying herself off a bit before heading into the house to get changed. The downstairs of the house was quiet, meaning Katherine was either upstairs or had left momentarily. Tori walked up the spiral staircase in the sitting room to the upper level, hearing a faint voice as she approached their bedroom door. Katherine was speaking in hushed voice; she sounded agitated.

"What do you want from me?" she hissed, sounding angry and maybe a little frightened. "I don't know where she is, how did you even get my number? Right, like you could. Give it up Stefan, I don't know where she is. If she left you that's your problem, not mine. Oh yeah? Bite me. Hah! You couldn't handle my blood big boy."

Tori's breath hitched and she could hear Katherine's body weight shift like she was alerted of her presence. It was quiet for the space of a handful of heartbeats before Katherine's voice sounded again.

"I have to go. I haven't bothered you or Damon in a long time, so don't bother me. If you can't find Elena I don't know what to tell you. Goodbye Stefan."

Tori stepped forward into the room with her towel in hand. Katherine smiled sweetly and brought her into a quick hug and laid a kiss on her cheek.

"I'm sorry I took so long my love. An old friend is having a hell of a time trying to find his girlfriend."

"Where do you think she went?"

"Well, she probably got sick of him babying her and went to his brother." Katherine smirked at a joke Tori didn't understand.

"Alright then. I'm gonna get changed and then we can decide what we want to do. Maybe a movie with the group or we can send them packing if you're done for the day."

Katherine was rummaging through her sock drawer for something when she finally answered a minute later.

"I have to go look for someone."

"Who? That girl?"

"I have an idea where she might be, but it requires a road trip. I know you just got home so I don't want to take you away from your friends again. I'll only be gone maybe a few days. Will you be okay here alone?"

Tori frowned loudly. "What if I want to go with you? Is that an option? Or-" Tori's sentence cut off in the middle.

"Or what, love?" Katherine asked, suddenly very interested in what Tori had to say.

"Am I being clingy? I mean I just moved in here and I'm like inviting myself along on your business and-"

"Tori baby, I'm glad you want to come with me. I wanted to ask you to come but I thought it would be selfish of me to take you away from your friends after you just returned. But if you want to come, I'd certainly love to have you."

"Great. When do we leave?"

"Tonight."

Tori changed into some white corduroy shorts with a large red shirt that hung over one shoulder, revealing a thin pink bra strap. The shirt was old and worn with a faded image of Marilyn Monroe on the front, applying makeup in a vanity mirror. Katherine looked down at the shirt and up into Tori's eyes, smiling the whole way.

"You really are breathtaking."

"Words are just words. I think I'll have to have you show me that you _really _mean it."

Katherine's eyes lit up with what Tori could only perceive as lust. She melted a little at the look and felt a familiar tingling below the belt, squeezing her thighs together for a little relief. Sound from downstairs alerted them that their friends had come inside and were probably waiting for them, so Tori angled towards the door grudgingly. Katherine followed behind her with a wicked grin and reached forward to lock her fingers together with Tori's as they went down the stairs together.

"Having a little 'alone time' up there ladies?" Rex blurted out, receiving a hard smack to the back of the head by Jade.

Tori blushed. "No, just getting changed. I'm sorry to cut this short but Katherine has something she needs to do and asked me if I would accompany her, so we're leaving tonight."

"Leaving?" Jade asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tori felt a hot bubbling in her stomach that agitated her. Before she could say anything Katherine piped up, taking the stress off of her for a minute.

"Yeah, one of my friends disappeared and the rest of us are kind of worried. I received a phone call earlier when we were swimming alerting me to her disappearance, and since I have an idea of where she may have gone I elected to drive out there and have a look around. Tori was nice enough to say she would keep me company on the trip."

"Well I hope you find your friend" Beck said sincerely, wrapping his arm around Jade's shoulders. "We'll head out so you guys can get ready. Good luck, and thanks for having us over."

"Thanks for coming" Tori said finally, waving to them as they headed for the door.

"You're all welcome anytime, just so you know. There's plenty of extra rooms so you can come stay whenever you want." Katherine smiled as she made the offer.

"Thanks" Robbie answered, waving as he headed out the door.

Jade hung around for a second, taking a long time to get her boots done up. She turned to leave but stopped, looking over at the two girls in front of the staircase. "Be careful driving at night." She headed out the door and closed it behind her.

Tori and Katherine headed upstairs to pack a bag each and get things ready to roll. Katherine was done in a matter of minutes and Tori had barely managed to get one outfit into hers. She laughed as Katherine grabbed her bag and went to take it downstairs, wondering how much practice she had leaving at a moments notice. The thought made Tori a little nervous, hoping that she would never be on the receiving end of that speed. She chalked it up to her inner worry wart and finished packing her bag as fast as she could, getting one last idea before she zipped it up. The closet was hanging open and Tori wandered over to it, looking momentarily before grabbing one last thing, closing up the bag and heading downstairs. Katherine was waiting by the door with keys in hand.

"Should we bring food or anything?" Tori asked, sitting her bag down at her feet.

"It's okay, I have money on me so we can just stop somewhere and get something when we get hungry."

"Okay. On the way out we need to stop by my mom's house real quick so I can let her know I'm leaving. Is that alright?"

"Of course, I wouldn't let you leave without your family knowing, that would be irresponsible." Katherine winked playfully and opened the door, grabbing her bag before passing through it. Tori followed suit and they each dropped their bags in the trunk before heading off.  
The drive to the Vega residence was short at the rate Katherine sped. It was a little scary but exhilarating, watching the speedometer reach numbers Tori had never seen in a residential area. They pulled into the driveway and shut the car off, getting out and heading up to the door in perfect stride. Tori knocked three times before opening the door, poking her head in to see if anyone was in the living room. Mrs. Vega looked over from the couch and her face lit up as her eyes landed on Tori. She hopped up and ran to the door, taking her younger daughter in her arms for a brisk squeeze. Tori laughed at her mom's enthusiasm, since they'd just seen eachother the day before.

"Hi mom."

"Hey sweetheart, hi Katherine. What brings you two over here?"

"Well one of Katherine's friends ran off and no one knows where she went. She's not answering her phone or anything and her friends and family are starting to get worried. Katherine thinks she might know where she is, so we're gonna drive that way to see if we can find her."

"Where exactly is 'that way'?"

"Uh, Katherine?" Tori said unsure, realizing that she never actually mentioned it before.

"Miami."

Tori's eyebrows brushed her hairline. "Really? Awesome!"

"Tori, are you sure? You just came back from Alaska and now you're going to the east coast? Do you not like it here anymore or something?" Mrs. Vega laughed a little but it was easy to tell she was somewhat upset.

"It's not that, it's just I have a prime opportunity to go somewhere new and experience new things. I thought you'd be happy for me. Miami has a lot of culture."

"I am happy for you sweetie, I just worry like a mother does."

"I know, but I'll be okay mom. Katherine and I will take care of eachother."

Katherine reached over and put her arm around Tori's waist, pulling her into her side gently. "I promise I'll look after her Mrs. Vega. I wouldn't want anything to happen to my baby girl."

"Actually she's my baby girl" Mrs. Vega joked, poking Katherine playfully in the shoulder.

"I suppose that's true. Anyway, I'd take a bullet for her, no questions asked."

Tori turned her head and looked at Katherine like she'd never seen her before. Her beauty had always been a special thing, but in that moment she positively glowed. Tori was certain she'd never seen anyone or anything more beautiful in her entire life. Katherine turned to meet her gaze, identical caramel irises boring into eachother. The moment was almost to heavy to take and Tori broke their stare, trying to catch her breath without being obvious.

"Well we should hit the road, Tor." Katherine said, smiling at Mrs. Vega. "Thanks for being cool about everything."

"Not a problem darlin'. Tori, call me sometime to let me know you're okay."

"Will do mom. I love you."

"I love you too. Drive safe."

With that the two girls got back in the car and started out to the highway. Traffic was picking up as night drew in, people flooding out of their holes to go dance the night away at clubs or see movies or whatever else people do in the summer time. Tori watched the lights of the city fly past her window as the car sped steadily towards their destination. Katherine reached over and put a soft hand on Tori's thigh, squeezing in a loving way. Tori covered the hand with her own, applying equal pressure. The highway sign showed up on the right and Katherine took the turn, angling the car perfectly between the lines. The city shrunk behind them in the car's mirrors as stars poked through the saturated blue black of the night sky. The quiet hum of the road was a lullaby of the sweetest kind and it played to the excitement in Tori's heart. A stillness had taken over their space and Tori decided to use the time to her advantage, thinking it was about time to get to know Katherine a little better. The highway rounded a small corner and the guardrail disappeared, leaving a straight stretch of asphalt as far as the eye could see. Tori turned in her seat to face Katherine and licked her lips before starting.

"So, who's Stefan?"

**A/N: This was a build to hitting the road. I'm still not sure how long this story is going to be but the next chapter will take place mostly on the road and in different towns along the way. We'll learn a bit more about Katherine and the situation of her friends in Mystic Falls and stuff like that, and then when we hit Miami I'll pick up the action some more. I'm really glad that some of you enjoy this story enough to keep reading, and I'll do my best to keep it up the best I can. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

Katherine adjusted in her seat a little to prepare for the drive and the questions that would come her way. She put the car in cruise control mode and leaned back a bit, eyes still on the road. Tori took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, stretching her limbs and cracking her neck while waiting for Katherine to start her story.

"Remember me telling you how I had two brothers fighting over me once? Stefan is one of them, and Damon is the other. They both live in my old hometown in Virginia, Mystic Falls. I've known them for quite some time, and at one point we were all pretty good friends, but then I got romantically involved with Stefan and Damon got jealous, and it just kind of fell apart from there."

"Sounds confusing."

"Yeah. Well after I started seeing Stefan, Damon got all moody and wouldn't talk to either of us anymore for the longest time. Things with Stefan were good, and eventually Damon came back with a renewed sense of pride and attempted to bring me over to his team. I'm embarrassed to say it worked, and I learned to love him too. The back and forth got to be too much for me so I decided I had to do something. They both wanted me to pick but I knew that if I picked one over the other it would cause the same problem as before, so I chose neither and they both stopped being friends with me. It was a sad time. They both decided to go their separate ways and left town, as did I a short time later."

"Boys" Tori breathed quietly, shaking her head.

Katherine smiled. "What seems about a lifetime after that they returned to Mystic Falls, only to find themselves stuck in the same situation once again. A young woman by the name of Elena caught Stefan's attention and they started seeing eachother. Eventually, Damon found his way in and recreated the triangle. That brings us up to now, in which the girl in question, Elena, has apparently fled town in the wake of the same predicament presented to me and no one knows where she is."

"Sounds to me like Damon needs to get a life." Tori made a face that make Katherine laugh again.

"You would think so, but it's honestly not his fault. He didn't exactly burst through the door and say 'Hey, I love you, pick me instead,' he just had a subtle way of making you fall for him. I didn't plan on ever falling in love with him and I'm sure Elena didn't either, but that's just what happened."

"Well if he would just leave well enough alone and find his own girlfriends there wouldn't be such a problem."

"I suppose you're right, but Damon is a selfish creature, as are we all, and his charms work well in his favor."

"So we're going to find this girl and take her home I'm guessing? Do you know this girl or are you just trying to help them?" Tori blinked slowly and yawned behind her hand, staring lazily at Katherine's profile.

"I know her, yes, but we aren't really the best of friends. I just figured that since I've talked to her a bit in the past and we know the same people that I would try looking in some of the places she's mentioned."

"That's nice of you. Good thing you don't have to work or we wouldn't be out here."

Katherine looked over at Tori and winked, reaching to put her right hand on Tori's left thigh. She squeezed gently and rubbed up and down, sending chills through Tori's leg. "Good thing."

A small period of silence fell over the car into the early hours of the night. Tori was tired from swimming and interacting with friends so she slipped in and out of consciousness. Katherine used the steering wheel controls to turn on the satellite radio she had, which turned out to be set for soft piano music. A tune that Tori didn't know came on but it was slow and melancholy, enough to lull her into a better rest for the next few hours. Katherine watched Tori closely out of the corner of her eye, smiling as the soft features blanked in sleep. The night was exceptionally black away from the city, the only lights coming from the car itself. A few bits of traffic passed here and there with long stretches in between but there weren't many, and at one point Katherine didn't see a single car for over an hour. Hunger tore at her throat since she hadn't actually had any blood for over a day and the pain was getting intense; they'd have to stop at the next major city and obtain some sustenance. A sign signaling Phoenix was only two hundred miles whizzed by but Katherine caught it easily, smiling at the prospect of her next meal.

Once they rounded the off ramp into the heart of downtown Phoenix Tori woke up, stretching and yawning as the city lights flooded the inside of the car. A long strip of road where restaurants and fast food establishments lined both sides sat in front of them, along with a generous selection of lodging. Katherine pulled into a Homewood Suites and parked up front, greeting the bellman as he made to stow their bags onto a luggage cart. Inside the lobby a couple night people sat around in chairs reading the newspaper or watching late night TV. Tori took in her surroundings and headed over to a juice machine, excited about getting something to drink after sleeping in the car. Katherine took care of the arrangements and waved Tori over as she walked to the elevator, followed behind by the bellman.

Their suite was at the end of the hall on the top floor and overlooked the strip they turned in on. The room was spacious and very open with large sliding doors that led to a patio and a wall made completely of glass. The floor was a dark hardwood that shined under the bright lighting, which was adjustable with a dial. A short hallway branched off the side with a master bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom housed a king size bed and walk in closet with a large flatscreen TV that mimicked the one in the living room, and a small kitchen shared the space with the living room which was occupied by a full size fridge, stove and microwave, with a sink to do dishes in. Through the sliding glass doors the patio held a glass table and chairs with a few plants in the corners. The adjacent street was a strip of a different kind, housing everything from pawn shops to Indian casinos. Tori stepped out into the fresh night air and took a deep breath, smiling as Katherine's arms wound around her midsection.

"Do you like it?" Katherine asked, whispering softly into Tori's ear.

"I love it, it's amazing. I've never stayed in a room like this before."

"I'm glad I could please you." Katherine planted a light kiss on Tori's cheek and headed back inside to unpack the bathroom stuff. "It's only three in the morning so there's probably not a lot to do on a Thursday night, but if you want to go try to find something I'm game."

Tori bit back a yawn blinked the stinging from her reddened eyes. "That's okay. You've been driving for hours and I'm sure you're hungry and probably just want to rest for a while, and frankly I could use a shower and a little more sleep myself."

"Sounds good to me love. I'm gonna go try to find some food. If there's nothing downstairs I'll take a walk down this street here and find something, so if I'm not back by the time you get out of the shower it shouldn't be too long after."

Tori scrunched her nose at the though of Katherine walking alone by herself at night. "Are you sure? I can come with you so you don't have to go alone."

"It's okay honey, I have self defense training." Katherine winked and flexed her muscles.

Tori laughed and kicked her shoes off by the door, turning to head into the bathroom. "I wonder what else I don't know about you."

It was Katherine's turn to laugh and she smiled wide. "I'm sure we'll get to that soon enough. Go get in the shower, I'll be right back."

* * *

Tori stripped slowly in the spacious bathroom, discarding her clothes on the large sink. The mirror took up most of the wall and shined impeccably under the same bright lights that were in the living room. A little eyeliner caked under her eyes so Tori grabbed a cotton ball from the bag Katherine had packed and removed it, tossing the cotton ball in the trash on the way to the shower stall. One side of the bathroom had a jacuzzi tub and a table with an iPod dock and the other housed the his and her sinks and stand up shower. Tori leaned in and turned the water on so it could warm up and waited outside the door, finally seeing a little steam pour over the edge. The hot water penetrated deep into her skin, relaxing away the day and the salt from the ocean, and the steam worked well to help clear up the nasal passages and throat. Feeling like she would fall asleep standing up if she didn't get out Tori grudgingly turned the water off and stepped back into the open bathroom, drying off quickly and donning one of the silk robes from the back of the door.

Out in the room Tori noticed Katherine was still gone so she headed into the bedroom and turned down the sheets, sliding into the large cozy bed to wait for her lover. Time went by and her eyelids grew heavy waiting for the curly brunette to return from her food run. The television showed nothing of interest except a school shooting and another race for space dominance between powerhouse countries, things she didn't really have a say in, so she turned it off with a heavy heart for the lost lives of mindless violence. Almost an hour ticked by and Katherine hadn't shown up but her absence this time was missed by Tori, having finally fallen asleep for the night.

* * *

The night air was balmy and thick with life, even at such a late hour. Or early, depending on how you look at it. Katherine glanced at each sign as she passed them; hamburgers and fries, steak and lobster, sandwiches and soup. None of the places with the large lit-up signs would hold what Katherine really wanted, needed, to eat, at least not on the menu. She eventually walked past a bar with several people outside smoking and talking, riotous laughter emanating from their group as plentiful as the clouds of smoke. They must have been wasted, which meant perfect targets. The bar was pretty large in size with blacked over windows and velvet ropes by the doorway. A few quick steps up towards the door and one of the more forward men in the group noticed Katherine, stopping her with a quick shout before she could reach for the handle.

"Hey cutie, why don't you come hang out with us?" The man flicked his cigarette and blew out the last bit of smoke, licking his lips before smiling.

Katherine flashed a curt smile back and turned towards the group, jutting her hip out as she spoke. "And why should I do that?"

"Well for one thing you're way too pretty to be roaming around by yourself at this time of night, and two, the bar is closed. We're just hangin' out out here with a couple of cases cause we don't wanna go home yet." A few of the other guys laughed and cheers'd their bottles while the only two women looked on with scowls. They each stood with their hands in their pockets, looking mostly at eachother and not speaking.

Katherine noticed the docile appearance of the women compared to the rowdiness of the men and decided it would be a good idea to stick around for a bit. "I suppose I could stay for a beer. Just one, though. I'm kind of a lightweight."

A flash of malice shined in the eyes of the alpha male that had been speaking and it was almost enough for Katherine to rip his throat out in front everyone. The thought of what was going through his mind made her sick, but she'd dealt with hundreds like him in her hundreds of years of existence. Katherine walked the rest of the way forward and accepted a beer from one of the other men in the group, cracking it open with her fist as it was a twist-top.

"So what's your name?" the man asked, tipping his hat briefly. "I'm Chet." This man wore a black leather jacket and faded jeans with black boots, giving the appearance of a skinny biker.

"Katherine. Nice to meet you."

The alpha spoke up again, louder than before. "My name is Dave, this here is Harrison." He pointed to a guy next to him before he continued. "You already met Chet, and these two bettys are Carrie and Lydia."

The two women made audible noises of disgust at the word 'bettys' but made no other arguments. Katherine waved at each of them and said hi in a polite tone, taking a long drag from her bottle. "You guys hang out here a lot then?"

The women shook their heads simultaneously and Dave tried fixing his appearance, not caring if Katherine was actually looking at him or not.

"Not really, we just didn't feel like leavin' right away tonight." Chet said, finishing the bottle he was holding and discarding it in the bed of the truck they were leaning against. "I come here with Dave, and today we met Harrison and later on met these two. We all kinda got to talkin' and decided to relax for a bit, and hope the pigs don't show up."

Everyone in the group either smiled or outright laughed at the last part of his explanation, telling Katherine they were anti-authority types. "You guys the 'row row fight the power' types?"

Dave finished his beer and cracked another without missing a beat, his face contorting into a half scowl half smile. "Fuck no we ain't, buncha Greenpeace hippie bullshit. We just don't like asshole cops tryin' to bust up our fun."

"I see" Katherine said, glancing back and forth between each person in the group. "So what's the plan when these beers are gone, then?"

"Probably separate for the night and go eat, sleep. Meet back up here tomorrow night and do it again."

The other guys hooted and hollered at the leader and cheers'd again, downing their beers in one. Katherine took the opportunity to pull the two women aside a little and talk to them separately.

"Do you have somewhere to go? These guys are a little rowdy and I think it might be unsafe for you to go with them, you know." Katherine put on a look of sincerity that couldn't be denied and one of the women, Carrie, shook her head no.

"I got kicked out of my mom's place cause her new husband's kids were moving in. She thinks since I'm in my thirties I need to leave, even though I'm sick and can't afford to live on my own with my treatments and stuff. Lydia was letting me stay with her but she didn't tell her landlord cause he would have upped the rent, and someone ratted us out. She got evicted shortly after that so we're both kinda screwed."

Katherine felt a legitimate pang of guilt for the two. They were both cute and well built, and in their vulnerable state a perfect target for the creeps like Dave. An idea crept into her head and she felt confused at first, shaking her head from side to side quickly to try to clear it up. The thought remained though, and she decided to act on it. "Okay, you two can come stay with me for the night and figure something out in the morning. Sound good?"

Lydia shook her head yes and Carrie eventually did as well, seemingly feeling bad about being a charity case. They both looked over towards the guys at the finalization of the deal and fear showed in their eyes.

"Hey Dave" Katherine said, turning back to face the men, "Carrie isn't feeling well and Lydia started her period tonight, so I'm afraid there's no chance of you guys getting lucky. They're gonna come stay with me tonight since I have some extra space, and if they're feeling up to it tomorrow they can come back then."

Harrison perked up from his beer for the first time since the conversation started and looked back and forth from Katherine to Dave, wondering what was gonna happen.

"Now these two will do what I tell them to do since I bought them drinks all night, it's only fair don't you think boys?" The other two men shook their heads in agreement. "When we're ready to split they'll be comin' home with me."

Katherine stepped up so she was right in front of Dave's face, staring him directly in the eye. "You're going to go home now. You're going to leave Carrie and Lydia with me and not make a fuss about it. You'll forget everything that's happened tonight, and when you see these women again you will treat them with respect and never lay a hand on them, or any woman for that matter, unless it's desired. Do you understand?"

Dave seemed unfocused and swayed a little, looking like he might fall over. He regained his composure and let out a burp from the alcohol. "I understand."

"Good, now take your friends and go."

Harrison and Chet looked at Katherine like she was crazy and waited for Dave to do something, but he never did. They watched him walk past them and to the passenger side of the truck, stopping when he got to the door. "Come on god damnit, let's get out of here. Harrison you're drivin' tonight."

The truck pulled away and the women looked dumbstruck, staring at Katherine like she was an act in a sideshow. Lydia finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"Thanks for helping us. I'm not sure it would have been pretty if we had to leave with them."

Katherine's face was cold and hard. "I promise you it wouldn't have. Come on, let's go."

Back at the hotel Katherine rented another room for the night that the girls could stay in together and accompanied them up to it. When they got there Katherine hung by the door as Lydia went into the bathroom and Carrie made a beeline for one of the beds. Katherine used her speed to step in front and stop her in her tracks, looking her in the eye the same she did with Dave.

"You're going to go to sleep and ignore any sounds you hear from Lydia in the next ten minutes. When you wake up in the morning you'll check out of this hotel and find your way to a shelter to start the process of getting help for yourself. You'll take Lydia with you and stick together to make sure you're both safe. Got it?"

"Got it" Carrie said groggily, her pupils dilating and retracting quickly.

Lydia came out of the bathroom and sat on the edge of the other bed, taking her shoes off and setting them next to the bedside table. She looked up and smiled, genuinely grateful to be out of the scary situation. Katherine looked at her and the confused feelings in her head and heart clashed with eachother, causing a moral anguish. She decided to act before it got any worse, sidling over to Lydia the same as she'd done with the others.

"Don't move. I'm going to bite you, but you aren't going to scream or try to run. When I'm finished go into the bathroom and clean yourself up, then use your hair to hide the marks tomorrow. If anyone asks just say it was a piercing accident. Understand?"

"I understand."

Katherine tucked the girls hair behind her ear and lunged forward, breaking the skin with her sharpened canines. The warm flow of blood seeped through her lips and slid down her throat like silk, coating her insides and giving her strength. She drank with fervor, closing her eyes at the scent and taste of the lifeforce draining from the pretty girl next to her. When it felt like Lydia would pass out Katherine knew she'd reached the limit and any further the girl would die, so she pulled back and took a deep breath, willing herself to stop. In that moment, blood on her face and a nearly unconscious stranger in her arms, Katherine fully realized how meeting Tori had changed her. Normally she would have bled both of the girls dry, along with the creep Dave and his buddies if she was feeling particularly cheeky. This time, though, the thought of killing these poor girls actually made her feel bad, and the introduction of negative emotion to the feeding process was unnerving. She stood up and Lydia went straight into the bathroom to clean up as she was told, so Katherine took her leave and headed back to the room she shared with her new love.

* * *

Tori stirred in her sleep, rolling over to find a deeply breathing Katherine next to her. Her hair obstructed the side of her face so Tori brushed it away to get a better look. She tucked into her pillow again and rested her eyes on Katherine's profile, drinking in the milky smooth skin that was fully void of any imperfections. As she outlined her face she noticed a few spots underneath her chin that looked like dried blood. Worry crept over Tori's mind thinking of what might have happened to cause her to have blood on her, but she didn't want to wake Katherine to ask. They still had a lot of driving to do and it was going to be a long day, so they both needed their rest. Tori leaned over and kissed her love lightly on the cheek and rolled to her other side, pulling the blanket back up to her shoulders to get a few more hours of rest.

When she awoke by ten o'clock Katherine was already up and dressed, looking cheery and well rested. Tori smiled at the perkiness and headed into the bathroom quickly, wanting to get rid of her morning breath so she could kiss her girlfriend again. She brushed and rinsed with speed then ran a brush through her hair while lining the sides of her mouth with her fingers, cleaning up any leftover toothpaste. Back in the room Katherine was poured over a map of the US with a marker and her phone, planning out where they would stop again on the route to Miami. Tori walked up and placed her hands on Katherine's hips, kissing her neck softly.

"Morning."

Katherine leaned her head back into Tori's neck and smiled. "Hey babe. Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, it was nice. That bed is comfy."

"Yes it is." Katherine cracked her neck and made one last mark on the map before folding it up and storing it back in the ziplock bag she'd taken it from. "Are you hungry? We can go down and get some breakfast before they close it up or we can wait until checkout and go somewhere else."

"I'm not in a rush. We can wait until checkout and then just hit a drive-thru before we get on the highway."

"Works for me."

Tori leaned in and kissed Katherine on the lips, lingering a little to enjoy it. She nibbled on her bottom lip, playfully tracing the bottom with the tip of her tongue, hands sliding up and down over her hips. Katherine tilted her head and opened slightly, allowing Tori's tongue entrance to find her own. They pressed against eachother and pecked hungrily, a different need bubbling close to the surface. Katherine slid her index fingers into Tori's panty line, rubbing them from side to side. The contact made Tori shake a little, goosebumps forming on her torso. She kissed down to Katherine's neck and was suddenly reminded of what she'd seen the night before.

"Hey, when you came to bed last night I noticed there was a little blood under your chin right here." Tori pointed to the spot and touched it with the tip of her finger. "What happened?"

Katherine took a deep breath in and out before speaking. "Oh, I just pulled a piece of skin out from next to one of my nails and it bled a bit. Must have scratched my neck or something and transferred a bit without realizing."

Tori visibly relaxed. "Oh, alright. I was just hoping you didn't get hurt."

"Nope, all good here."

They separated to get their things together and pack up so they could check out when the time came. Tori put her dirty clothes from the night before into a plastic bag and flattened it out, slipping it to the bottom of the suitcase. Katherine did the same and gathered up the bathroom materials to store in hers. By the time they had finished it was five minutes to eleven, which meant it was time to hit the road again. Just before they could drag their luggage out the door a different bellman knocked offering his service. They smiled at him as he loaded the bags onto the luggage cart and followed them down to the lobby, waiting by the door with Tori while Katherine got the car. She parked up front once more and the bellman loaded the bags into the trunk, taking a twenty dollar tip from Katherine with a smile and a wave. A quick shot through the parking lot and they were on the food strip looking for something to eat. Tori pointed out a McDonald's and they drove through, grabbing some dollar menu items since they were small and easy to eat while driving. A quarter mile later they hit the highway again and angled towards their destination.

Traffic was pretty concentrated on this stretch of highway, making them travel at a much slower speed than Katherine had them going the night before. A few times they stopped altogether, learning from turning on the radio to a local station that there was an accident about thirty miles ahead of them that was backing up traffic, causing multiple hour delays. Normally that was something that would annoy both of them, but since Katherine wasn't alone and Tori wasn't with Trina, they relaxed into their seats and looked at eachother, glad to be in good company. The satellite radio had changed to an upbeat pop station, something that helped lift Tori's mood even higher and set the tone for the afternoon. She sang along to the majority of the songs with casual glances at Katherine to make sure she wasn't annoying her. Katherine watched with interest as Tori danced in her seat, arms above her head as high as the car ceiling would let them go. She reveled in the carefree nature of the beautiful girl next to her, happy to finally be cared for, and lucky to be cared for by someone like Tori.

Traffic started moving again and they eventually passed the accident site, cringing as what remained of a Ford Explorer was picked up in book-sized pieces and loaded into the back of a truck. An EMT closed the doors of the last ambulance on scene and hopped into the passenger side, pulling off toward the hospital a few cars behind them. Several police cars and a firetruck still remained at the scene to help clean up and the majority of the wreckage was removed within two hours. Katherine moved into the fast lane and set the cruise control at ninety; she loved the way her BMW rode at the brisk pace. Tori watched the trees blur by and surveyed the landscape in the distance, noticing how the land was so incredibly flat with nothing on it.

Hours passed with casual conversation and singing, met by complacent silence in between. Both women were happy that their relationship was comfortable enough that they could be together for long stretches of time without talking at all and the silences weren't awkward or boring. They each delved into their own thoughts, using the time to sort out personal emotions and think about what they would do when they got back to LA. Tori reached over and took Katherine's hand in her own, linking their fingers together. She reached over with her other hand and set it on top, running her fingers up and down Katherine's arm slowly. They exchanged a loving glance and Tori closed her eyes, bringing the hand up to her lips to kiss it multiple times. A sign marking the next major city showed up and Katherine noted the exit, turning off to gas up and get supplies.

She pulled up to a pump and filled the tank while Tori went inside to grab food and drinks. A kind looking man stood behind the counter and greeted her as she walked in, turning back to his magazine after. Tori grabbed some Combos and a few bars of chocolate followed by a couple bottles of vitamin water and took everything up the counter. Katherine walked in at the same time and paid for everything together, much to Tori's protest.

"I have money too, you know."

"I do know, but this is my trip so I'm going to pay for everything since you were generous enough to grace me with your beautiful presence." Katherine leaned over and kissed Tori on the lips, earning a smile from the cashier.

"Fine, you win."

Back in the car Katherine checked her phone before they took off again, tapping the screen a couple times and then returning it to the cupholder. "If we haul ass for the next little while we can probably make it to Baton Rouge by early morning. Sound good?"

"Sure, you're doing the hard part so it's whatever you want."

"You're right, I think I might need a little comforting when we stop for the night." Katherine flashed one of her brilliant smiles and Tori melted a little inside.

"Like I said, whatever you want."

As the drive went on the sun began to set and the sky streaked with pastel colors. No cloud were around so the sky looked especially expansive, a real treat to the eyes. Tori watched the trees in the distance rise and fall like a heart monitor, successfully lulling her into a sense of tiredness. She closed her eyes for a few minutes but by the time she opened them it was pitch black, the pastel streaks replaced with shining stars. Katherine looked over and smiled when Tori lifted her head and readjusted in her seat, stretching to work out the kinks.

"We're almost there, about an hour left and I'll get you to a bed. Promise."

"As long as you're in it with me I'm all for it."

At the end of the hour Katherine pulled into a Hilton Garden and they repeated the same procedure, getting the biggest room the hotel had. It was a lot smaller than the one they'd stayed in previously but it too had a kitchen and a separate bedroom with a large bed, so it was just as good. Each girl proceeded to do the same as before and put their suitcases somewhere while getting out things they needed. Tori picked the bathroom stuff up off the bed and took it into the bathroom since she had to use it, shutting the door behind her. Right before she finished she heard a crash in the room that reverberated in the walls, causing her to flee the bathroom immediately to see what had happened. A well built man had Katherine by the throat, pinning her against the wall. Tori shrieked and covered her mouth with both hands for a second before taking a run at him. He turned around yelled out to Tori, baring his fangs and red eyes. Tori stopped dead in her tracks, not able to move or speak. The momentary distraction was enough for Katherine to flip him over and snap a leg off the wooden table, then jam the leg into the man's ribcage like a stake. Katherine looked up at Tori with the same fangs and red eyes, and before Tori could scream she flew up and covered her mouth.

"Tori, please don't scream. I can explain." She removed her hand when the girl's breathing slowed and started talking. "I wanted to tell you everything when we met up again on the beach, but your friends were there and everything happened so fast. When I first saw your cottage I planned on just hitting and running, but when I saw you I couldn't do it. I just-"

"Wait" Tori interrupted, turning around to face Katherine. "What do you mean hit and run?"

"I-" Katherine hesitated, taking a deep breath and letting it out before continuing, "I was going to...kill you."

Tori froze up and stopped breathing. It took a minute before she spoke again, knocked back into the present by the groan from the man on the floor. "What are you?"

"What do you think I am?" Katherine asked, looking longingly into Tori's eyes.

"It's not possible. Vampires aren't real." Tori said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest. "This kind of thing just doesn't happen."

"Sorry to tell you love but it does, and you're in the middle of it right this moment."

The man tried to rise to his feet but fell again, pushing the table leg even further into his ribs. Katherine grabbed Tori and pushed her backwards towards the bathroom, making sure she was inside and shutting the door. She spoke quickly through the wood. "Lock this door and don't open it unless I tell you to."

"Okay."

A minute later the man's groans got louder but Tori couldn't see what was happening. Katherine lifted him up and sat him in the lounge chair next to the TV stand, her hand wrapped around the stake. "What are you doing here Stefan?"

The name peaked Tori's interest and she pressed her ear to the door to try to listen better.

"Looking for you actually" he said through strained breaths. "I didn't believe that you were in L.A like you said you were so I figured I'd dip down to some of your old haunts, hoping maybe you were making your way to try to find Elena so I'd be able to find you. Also I compelled someone at the phone company to activate your GPS and tell me where you were." He smiled but it quickly turned into a grimace, wincing at the pain in his side.

"Why do you want me so bad? I thought you wanted me dead."

"Well it wouldn't hurt, but I do need your help first."

Katherine rolled her eyes and pulled the table leg from Stefan's side, causing him to yell out in pain. The wound started healing within a minute and was completely closed up in two. "What could you possibly need me to do that you can't do yourself?"

"Klaus is back."

Katherine stared him right in the face and didn't say anything. Her mind wound up quickly to max RPMs, her body beginning to pace across the room. "Why? What does he want?" Fear was thick in her voice.

"He took Elena. She disappeared after we had an argument and I got a text the next day from Klaus, saying he was going to bleed her dry if he didn't get a sword back that someone stole from him."

Katherine's breath hitched and she stopped pacing, seeing in her mind's eye where the sword in question lay at that current moment; in the basement of her house in L.A.

"He said, and I quote, 'Katerina will bring me what I want or I will take something from her. Make sure she knows I'm fully aware of her new lover and I will do whatever is necessary to retrieve my property.'"

"Tori, come out here please." Katherine said quietly, turning to face her when the door opened.

Tori walked out and looked at Stefan and then to Katherine, wide eyed and unsure of what was going on. "Okay, what's up?"

"Tori this is Stefan, the one I told you about in the car. Stefan, this is my girlfriend Tori."

"A human?" he asked, slightly amused. "I didn't know you liked to play with your food."

"You're one to talk with your precious _Elena_" Katherine retorted, reaching out to take Tori's hand. "Tor, there's a...particularly dangerous man that I've been running from for the better of five hundred years. His name is Klaus, and he's the Original Vampire. The first one, ever. The most powerful. Right now, he currently holds Stefan's...ex? Isn't she with Damon now?"

Stefan looked murderous and spoke quickly. "That's not the point. The point is she's in danger and we need to help her, for all of our sakes."

"Why? So you can try to win her back?" Katherine asked, looking at Stefan suspiciously.

"No Katherine, because if we don't he'll drain every drop of blood from Elena's body and use it to create a giant army of Hybrids. If he accomplishes that, we're all as good as dead."

Tori's face turned white. "Vampires, Originals, Hybrids...what else is there?"

"Werewolves" Katherine and Stefan said at the same time, stealing a quick glance at eachother. "The hybrids are part vampire part werewolf, the originals are the first family of vampires, the oldest, the strongest. They have the ability to compel other vampires to do their bidding, when we can't do that to eachother." Stefan finished out the explanation, leaning back in the chair as he spoke. "Klaus needs the blood of the doppleganger to create his army, and that's what Elena is."

Tori looked confused, but before she could speak Katherine cut in. "Elena and I come from a long line of dopplegangers. Basically it's some witchy stuff that you don't have to worry about."

"Okay," Tori said slowly, trying to control her breathing, "but why did Klaus call you Katerina?"

"That's...my real name" Katherine said quietly, feeling bad for having lied to her lover. "Katerina Petrova. I was born in the fourteen hundreds in eastern Europe. I told you there was a lot about me you didn't know." Katherine looked guilty and didn't make eye contact. Stefan looked between them with a blank face, remembering how it was for him when Elena found out.

"Well anyway, nice to meet you Tori. Sorry for my manners. I should say that when Elena found out about me she freaked out initially, tried to run and didn't want anything to do with me. It took me a while and a lot of energy to talk her down and explain everything. She still wasn't very receptive at first, but she got over it eventually. I'm sure you will too. I've never seen Katherine in an actual relationship in the one hundred and fifty some years I've known her, so you must be very special."

Tori blushed but stayed rooted to her spot. Her mind went back to all of the memories she had of Katherine from the very beginning, and a few things started falling in place. "So the cottage, the marks on my neck, us meeting up on the beach...those things were all connected."

It was Katherine's turn to blush and she turned away momentarily. Stefan watched her with high amusement, having never seen her act this way. "I wasn't camping with my friends that day. I was looking for...food. I was roaming the countryside for a while, not sure on where I wanted to go next. I've lived in every major city in the country for at least ten years a piece, and believe it or not places get boring even through all of their changes. I headed up to Alaska since I hadn't spent much time there and I'd go to the cottages on the outskirts of town to feed, since people never got suspicious over the death of a person due to an 'animal attack' in those parts."

Tori made a face at the word death and she suddenly felt very uneasy. "How...How many people have you killed?"

Stefan stifled a laugh and Katherine shot him a warning look, slipping her hands into her pockets. "I honestly don't know Tori. I didn't always kill people, only if they were particular scumbags and deserved it. Most of the time I would feed on someone and then compel them to forget, since it's easier than leaving a string of bodies. This guy knows what a string of bodies looks like."

Stefan got really uncomfortable and his jaw clenched. He looked out the window and didn't say anything.

"Anyway, I-"

"So wait, if you fed on people and then made them forget, is that what you did to me? I woke up and had marks on my neck but you were gone, and I didn't remember how they got there."

Katherine bit her lip and looked Tori right in the eyes. "No. I tried to compel you once but it didn't work. You didn't catch on because you didn't know what I was doing, but I realized right away."

"Do you have vervain on you somewhere?" Stefan asked, looking in Tori's direction.

"What's that?"

Stefan raised his eyebrows and looked at Katherine who shrugged her shoulders in response. "It was weird to me too. She doesn't wear vervain on her and she doesn't drink it, so there's no reason why she would be immune to compulsion, but she is."

Stefan stood up and walked over to Tori, stopping in front of her. He looked her in the eyes and spoke in a clear voice. "Go down to the vending machine and buy me a Coke."

"Go buy one yourself" Tori replied, taking a step back with a scowl on her face.

Stefan smiled wide and looked at Katherine. "That's pretty special, indeed."

Another thought came back to Tori's head and she spoke again. "So the dried blood that was on your chin last night, did you attack someone when you went to 'get food?'" Tori air-quoted the last part, looking a little disappointed at Katherine for lying to her.

"No. I saw two women hanging outside of a bar with a few creeps and had a beer with them. They looked uncomfortable and the men looked dangerous, so I took them with me and got them a room in the same hotel we were staying in so they would be off the street. I compelled one of them to ignore what happened and I bit the other, but I didn't kill her. I compelled them to go get help the next morning so they wouldn't be on the street anymore."

"Wow Katherine" Stefan said with a genuine smile on his face. "I didn't think you had it in you to not be a totally heartless bitch."

"I have my moments" Katherine said, a smile of her own creeping into her features. "So what are we going to do about Elena? Do you have any idea where she is?"

"I'm sure she's in Mystic Falls still, under the protection of Klaus and the few hybrids he does have. There's no way to know for sure."

Tori watched the two vampires talk and kept to herself. The whole thing was way too much too fast, and she felt like she was going to be sick. They continued to talk when Tori walked to the other side of the bed and laid down, tucking her knees up into her body. There was a hole in the wall where Stefan had chokeslammed Katherine and her head smacked it and the table was missing a leg, which was currently on the floor covered in blood. The blinds were closed so she couldn't see outside but the light inside was sufficient, saving her from a headache. She got lost in her own thoughts for a little while and accidentally fell asleep, resting undisturbed until the morning.

When Tori woke Stefan was gone and so was Katherine, but the blinds were open and sunlight shone into the room in earnest. A note was neatly folded on the table next to the bed so she picked it up and rubbed her eyes before reading it.

_Tor, I'll be back in the morning. You fell asleep and we didn't want to wake you by talking too much. We're coming up with a plan to keep everyone safe and get Elena back unharmed. I'll tell you everything when I see you. There's some other things we need to talk about too, and I hope you're not too mad at me. If you feel like I've betrayed you and you don't want to do this anymore, I understand. There's a plane ticket waiting for you at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. Go to the Delta desk and give the confirmation code C4BY873B3J and you'll be all set to go home. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I will see you soon._

_Katherine_

Tori set the letter back on the desk and got up to take a shower. The events of the previous night were still very apparent in her mind, and the new knowledge that everything she feared as a child was real sat right on the pit of her stomach like a boulder. The hot shower helped to ease the stress and get her head straight again as she stood under the steady stream of water, breathing in the steam and expelling the bad vibes. She got out and dressed for the day, finishing up with a brush through her long chestnut hair as Katherine came in the door. They stood there and looked at eachother for a minute, neither moving or speaking. Tori's heart felt like it would explode from her chest and when Katherine took a step forward, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Katherine sensed her stress and her heart fell as she turned around to grab the door handle again, not looking Tori in the eye.

"I'm sorry. I'll come back in a few hours after you've gone." She opened the door but before she could step through it it slammed shut again with force, making her wheel around quickly. Tori was inches from her face and closed the gap immediately, crushing her lips onto Katherine's in a feverish kiss. Katherine squealed at the action and Tori used it to her advantage, sliding her tongue into Katherine's mouth to taste the fresh mint on her tongue. A few minutes later they finally broke the kiss but stayed pressed together.

"I'm really pissed at you for keeping everything from me, but I understand that my anger is baseless. Your secret isn't something you can't just tell people and I have no right being upset over that. I understand why you had to bend the truth a little bit and keep some things from me, and I'm okay with it. This whole thing is really crazy and a lot to take in, but I..."

"You what?" Katherine asked, searching Tori's eyes for the answer.

"I love you Katherine. Ever since our first night together I've had the scariest feelings about you, in a good way, and it's been dawning on my slowly over the past few days. I know it's fast but I've never felt this way about anyone before. You just...there's something about you I can't get enough of."

Katherine beamed so wide her cheeks hurt and she pulled Tori into a rib-crushing hug. "I love you too, Tori. I really do. I've never really been in love before so it's just as scary for me as it is for you."

"Really? Over five hundred years and you've never loved anyone?"

Katherine looked sad for a split second but covered it up expertly, beginning her explanation. "I've been running from Klaus almost my whole life. He was determined to find me and use me as a sacrifice to break a curse. I eluded him well enough to stay alive for all these years, but my running and constant fear of being caught made living life a little difficult. I didn't really form any friendships or anything since I didn't stay in one place for very long, and I kind of became a real bitch. There was one point where I was so bitter about everything that I just killed anyone and everyone I wanted to. Klaus killed my whole family and took everything I ever loved. My son, my humanity, everything. There were times where I'd kill five or six people in a single night just because, and sometimes I wouldn't even drain them. I was a terrible person for a long time, and a lot of people still see me that way. Stefan and Damon, Elena, Jeremy, Bonnie. They all hate me and whenever I come around they either try to kill me or get me to leave as soon as possible. I've done some bad things in my life, but you've changed that. Not that long ago I would have killed all five of the people outside that bar, but since you came into my life I saved those two girls from getting raped and let them both live. No one would believe that if you told them."

"Well it's possible for people to change, no matter how long you've been a certain way. Yeah it sucks that you've done so many bad things over time, but you don't anymore. You can turn the tide and start using the infinite amount of time you have doing good things to counterbalance."

Katherine smiled and held Tori close, glad to have someone that thought positively of her in spite of everything she'd done. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Likewise." They hugged silently for a minute and Tori eventually spoke up. "So what's the plan now? Where's Stefan?"

"The plan is for me to send you home. I don't you want you getting mixed up in this. Klaus has already threatened to take you from me if he doesn't get what he wants, and while I do it begrudgingly I do admit that I'm no match for him in a fight."

"No way. I'm not leaving you. Yeah I'm just a puny human and yeah this is all scary as hell but I'm not letting you get involved in this alone. Not gonna happen. You can't compel me either, so ha!"

Katherine looked at her with amusement and stepped back, huffing out a breath. "Well I suppose I can't, so I guess you're coming too." Katherine stepped over to the dresser and pulled her dirty clothes out of the top drawer, putting them in a bag like Tori had done.

"Where are we going?" Tori asked, heading into the bathroom to get a drink of water.

"Mystic Falls. We're going to put out the word that I hid the sword in a tomb before I left when Klaus' hybrids are around, and when they go back to deliver the news we tail them to find out where he is. When he leaves to go find the sword, we break into his house, find Elena and get her somewhere safe."

Tori walked back into the room and stuck her hands in her pockets. "What are you going to do then?"

"I'm the backup plan, in case Klaus gets too close to where Elena is hiding, I pretend to be her and let one of his hybrids see me so he can go report to Klaus where I am, getting him away from her."

"Why are you doing this, though? I thought these people don't even like you."

"That may be true, but the further Klaus is away from his army of hybrids the better off we all are. He doesn't know where the sword is, hell, he doesn't even know where I am. Now that I realized I made a fatal mistake, which I'm still kicking myself for, I'm on even higher alert."

"What mistake is that?" Tori asked, picking her suitcase up off the floor to put her last few items in it.

"I left the GPS enabled on my phone, that's how Stefan found us. Good thing Klaus is still so absentminded when it comes to technology."

"Good thing."

The girls packed up and checked out, dropping their luggage in the trunk of the car. Katherine pointed in the direction of Mystic Falls instead of Miami, leading them north a little bit. They stopped at a Popeye's before hitting the highway to get some famous southern chicken since Tori was starving. Katherine didn't get anything though, smiling at Tori when she looked curious.

"Actual food is kinda gross to us."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. That means..."

"That I have to feed on somebody? I could, or I could rob a blood blank. There's options."

Tori smiled at the thought of Katherine not having to use violence to stay alive, or whatever it was she is. She finished her food and looked at Katherine guiltily, not sure on what to do for her to eat. The thought came to her head and her heartbeat sped up instantly, causing Katherine to look at her in alarm.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?"

"What?"

"I can hear your heartbeat, it sounds like it's going to blow out of your chest. What's wrong?"

Tori smiled and laughed a little hysterically. "You can hear that? Cool."

"Yeah. Did I do something, or did you change your mind?"

Tori snapped her head back up and shook it vigorously, signaling she hadn't changed her mind. "No, I was just wondering what we're going to do about getting you some...some blood."

"I'm fine right now babe, don't worry about it."

"I am worried about it though. Here, come with me." Tori stood up and held her hand out, which Katherine took after a skeptical look.

The two girls went into the bathroom and into a stall, Tori locking the door behind them. She pressed Katherine up against the wall kissed her full on, lingering just far enough back to speak so her lips brushed the other woman's. "Feed on me."

Katherine's eyes glassed over and she looked positively insane with lust. Tori's heart pumped faster and faster as her core started to soak, breathing in Katherine's scent. "Blood sharing is a very...intimate thing. It's very sexual and intense. I don't know if you're ready for that."

Tori cupped her hand over Katherine's center and pressed into her clit with the palm of her hand, causing Katherine to let out a soft moan. "I'm right here baby. I know you won't hurt me, and you need to keep your strength up just in case. Come on, _taste me._"

The last two words came off of her tongue with such sexuality that Katherine literally growled before she pulled Tori's shirt off of her shoulder and sunk her teeth in. She spun them around and slammed Tori against the wall, making her gasp loudly at the pain of skin breaking, but it quickly turned to a moan of pleasure as Katherine cupped and pressed onto her clit like she had done, massaging it roughly through her jeans as she fed. Tori's hips bucked into Katherine's as she rode the waves of pleasure, feeling a little lightheaded as the blood rushed from her body. The intensity of the moment sent her over the edge almost as quickly as they had started, and she shuddered and gasped as an orgasm rocked through her body, Katherine's shaking just as hard against her. They held onto eachother for a few minutes before Katherine cleared her throat, signaling that it was time for them to go. Tori walked a little awkwardly due to her panties sticking against her center; she had literally soaked them through in the few minutes they were in there together. Katherine rushed to the sink to clean up before Tori could see her face, worrying that she might be shocked back into reality seeing her girlfriend's face covered in blood. They exited the bathroom and got back into the car, each shining brightly with their simultaneous orgasms and food in their stomachs. Katherine eyes shimmered into Tori's as she looked at with what could only be construed as love, kissing her one more time before heading back onto the highway.

**A/N: Okay so, change of plans. I was writing and all of a sudden Stefan showed up, and I was like "bro what are you doing here you aren't supposed to be here" and he was like "sorry guy I was in the area and it just seemed like a good idea" so I was like "alright" and went with it. We got a little more info on The TVD side of things here, which was nice, and I plan on getting more Victorious in there as well. I have a plan for the ending which will be coming in the next two or three chapters (sorry) and I think it'll be pretty cool. Sorry for the long update wait on this chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

During the car ride there were stretches of silence that Tori figured she could use to her advantage by asking Katherine questions about being a vampire. A few hours after they'd left Baton Rouge the highway had stretched into a baron wasteland, baring naught but a few trees scattered here and there. The landscape was annoyingly flat, offering no visual stimulation during the quickly sinking daylight hours. Daylight hours. Tori's head cocked to the side as she remembered the old stories of vampires she'd heard growing up. Garlic, coffins, sunlight. Apparently something was different these days since Katherine didn't have any problem walking around during the day, and that being possible struck Tori as a good conversation starter.

"So, how is it you can walk around in the daytime? I mean I can imagine not all of the legends are true, but that seems to be one of the hard set ones that's traveled through time well."

Katherine smiled but kept her eyes on the road. "This." She held her right hand up to show a beautifully detailed ring made of platinum with a sapphire set in the center. "We call them daylight rings. If you know of a witch that's willing to help, they can spell one to make it so you can stand sunlight."

Tori looked at the ring and shrugged her shoulders matter-of-factly. "I guess that makes sense. Are you still friends with the witch that made yours?"

Katherine closed her eyes for a split second to stifle a laugh and in that split second Tori realized her mistake. "The witch that spelled my ring died quite a long time ago. I've been introduced to her ancestors down the line though, and the woman you met in that little oddball store downtown was one of them."

"Sounds legit. What did she give you by the way? You picked something up that day but I never got to see what it was."

A lengthy silence settled over the car and Tori got nervous, wondering if maybe she'd inquired about something she shouldn't have. Katherine bit one of her thumbnails, something she never did, and the action was off-putting. The highway rounded a large bend and straightened out again, leading to a strip of rest stops conveniently placed every so many miles indicated by signs.

"It's something I picked up just in case of emergency." Katherine finally said, not making eye contact.

"What kind of emergency?" Tori asked.

"Vampire stuff, you wouldn't really understand."

Tori took the subtle hint and backed off the subject. The afternoon sun was hot through the windshield but the heat was welcomed on her face, the light making psychedelic visuals behind her eyelids. Something about soaking in the sun always made her feel happy, probably the vitamin C and whatever psychological effects it supposedly has on people. Katherine looked just the same as she did when they'd left the hotel that morning, even though she'd been driving for six hours straight. It occurred to Tori that maybe vampires don't get tired like humans do, and that their stopping to rest was probably just for her comfort. The thought made the familiar bubbly feeling come back to her stomach and she reached over to take Katherine's free hand in her own, drawing hearts on the back of it with her other. The simple but loving act made both of them smile and steal a quick glance at eachother.

The afternoon poured on and the driving was making Tori's body stiff. She suggested they stop at one of the highway rest stops to get out and stretch their legs, an idea that was met gratefully by Katherine. They each got out and walked around a bit while taking in their surroundings. Tori stretched her arms and legs, cracked her back and anything else that would make a noise. She watched Katherine just pace back and forth slowly, growing amused at something else she didn't know about her vampire lover.

"You don't need to stretch?" she asked, eyeing Katherine playfully.

"Nope. I can stay completely still in the same position for days on end if I have to. It gets tiring after a while, but a while for someone like me is a lot longer than it is for someone like you." Katherine winked took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp open air into her lungs with ease.

Tori walked over and kissed her on the lips before bringing her into a hug, a simple act of affection. It wasn't a lustful embrace or a playful jest, but a gentle and warm showcase of emotion between two people in love. There was no rush to kiss or place hands in certain spots which made the moment all the more special. Tori inhaled Katherine's scent as she nuzzled into her neck, tickling the skin under her ear with her eyelashes as she blinked. Katherine closed her eyes and hugged Tori close to her, relishing in the consensual contact that brought her so much happiness. They stayed like that for a couple minutes while waiting for traffic to die down at the gas pumps, listening to eachother's soft, slow heartbeat flutter along like a lullaby. Katherine ran her fingers through Tori's hair in Cafuné, smiling at the low purring noise emanating from her throat.

"Let's get back on the road, we don't have long until we hit Chattanooga and we can stop there for the night. It'll be the last overnight before we get to our destination." Katherine opened Tori's door and held it, waving a casual hand in a motion saying 'please enter.'

"Okay, you're the boss." Tori said, getting in and putting on her seatbelt.

"I am?" Katherine asked as she got in and did the same, turning the key to start the engine. "Why's that?"

"Probably because you're almost five hundred years older than me and you could kill me before I even saw you move."

Katherine frowned and looked away. "I know I'm dangerous, and you've said before you know I won't hurt you, but you really do believe that, right?"

"I do. I know it's possible that something could happen on accident, since all the stories I've read have told of times where vampires had killed their lovers in a fit of rage that couldn't be controlled or something similar. I'm guessing that since you really are real that the stories are steeped in at least a small amount of truth, and from the way you and Stefan attacked eachother in the hotel I'm well aware that you could obliterate me without batting an eyelash."

"I've been around a while and in that time I've learned to control myself pretty well, so I don't want you to feel like you have to be alert around me all the time. I know what that's like and it's exhausting. So please just do me a favor and if you ever feel uneasy or something, tell me, OK?"

"I will." Tori said, smiling at her partner in kindness. "Let's hit it."

Another large stretch of driving and the pair arrived in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee in the wee hours of the morning. There weren't any fancy hotels near the highway ramps so they decided on a Holiday Inn that backed a nicely-sized mall. Once checked in Tori realized she wasn't really tired enough to go to sleep so she dug through her suitcase and pulled out a bathing suit. Katherine spied the two-piece lying on the bed and smiled to herself, grabbing one of her own to join the party. She turned to see Tori putting her suitcase on the other side of the bed, tucking it away out of sight, so she began stripping in the middle of the room to change into her bikini. By the time Tori turned to see what was going on Katherine was already topless and only her panties remained on her body, hugging her outline in a pleasing way. She smiled and bit her lip at the way Tori stared at her figure, raking over her features with lust. Katherine continued by sliding her panties down to reveal her fully nude stature to the other woman who was currently locked in place. Tori finally shook her head clear and realized two could play that game and began to do the same, not stopping until she was fully nude as well. They stood and looked eachother over, only a few paces between them but enough that they wouldn't be able to reach out and touch. Tori grabbed her bikini bottom and turned around so Katherine could see her ass, then she bent over low at the waist to pull the bottoms up, giving her lover quite the show. Katherine eyed the gap between her thighs and her mouth watered instantly. She grabbed her suit and got dressed casually as she watched Tori bend her body seductively, and when she turned around her small pink nipples were perfectly erect. Tori reached back and tied her top in place, winking softly as she walked past Katherine to the door, leaving her practically breathless.

The pool was empty and they both jumped right into the deep end. The water was warm and relaxed the muscles which was greatly needed by the human of the pair. After the initial dip Katherine swam to the shallow end and sat on the stairs with just her legs in the water while she watched Tori do a few laps. When she was finished she swam up next to Katherine and took a spot between her legs, the water covering all but her neck up as she hooked her arms around her lover's calves. Katherine grabbed a small chunk of her hair and began braiding it, thinking back to how her mother used to braid her hair the same way all those years ago.

"Katherine?" Tori asked, running her hands up and down the other woman's shins under the water.

"Hmm?"

"What are we going to do about my family?"

Katherine looked confused and turned her head to the side a bit. "What do you mean?"

"Well I want to introduce you to my family as my girlfriend and all of that, but what do we do years down the line when I'm getting older but you still look the same?"

Neither woman spoke for the space of a minute or two, both contemplating the possible outcomes of a relationship together. Katherine finally took a deep breath and held it before speaking. "I've never had to deal with that before, so I don't really know the right answer. The only things I can think of would be to either go our separate ways or see eachother in secret, both of which kill me a little to even speak of. You're right though, there will come a time when people get suspicious of me, which is usually when I leave whatever city I'm living in and go somewhere else. I don't return to a place until I'm sure that everyone I knew is either dead or in a retirement home and won't see me."

Tori's heart sank at her girlfriend's words. She half expected there to be some magical way out of their situation, what with witches being real and everything else she'd learned in the past few days. The thought of having to leave Katherine some day made her stomach feel queasy and the small waves of the water weren't being any help. Sometime in the future she would have to give up this beautiful woman that had changed her life so dramatically in such a short time. This amazingly loving woman that shined bright on the darkest of days. She bore a side which had indeed wreaked havoc on the lives of countless innocent people over time, yet she made attempt to leave her past behind. Meeting Tori had changed her just as much as the opposite, and infinitely for the better.

"I guess we'll just have to live day by day for now and try to figure something out as we go along. Maybe I could even become like you and we could stay together forever." Tori rolled over in the water and wrapped her arms around Katherine's waist, leaning her head down on her breast.

Katherine closed her eyes and stayed silent, worry creeping through every inch of her body. "I don't want that for you, Tori. You have no idea what being like this really means. You only see me as I am now, Stefan as he is. We both have horrible pasts full of death and guilt-"

"I know that" Tori interrupted, planting a kiss between Katherine's breasts before she continued. "It's more complicated than I can imagine, I understand that, but I'm willing to do it for you."

"Did I tell you about Stefan's past? For literally _decades_, longer than you've been alive, he stalked from village to village draining every life he could find. They called him 'The Ripper of Monterrey.' He moved place to place, leaving piles of bodies in his wake, feeding endlessly on thousands of innocent human lives. He got lost in the bloodlust and turned off his humanity, reveling in the hunt and the kill. It took him another twenty some years to get over the guilt of what he'd done when he finally came back. Not everyone is a Ripper, but I sure as hell have my own body count to own up to."

Tori blinked slowly as she digested the story she'd just heard. Her mind's eye showed herself tearing people apart with the same eyes and fangs she'd seen on Katherine's face, covered in blood with a look of malice. She shook her head to clear the image and looked back up at her partner, searching for a way to get across what she was feeling. "It may be difficult, and dangerous, but I'd rather go through a century of pain with the prospect of being with you forever than go through the rest of my life in saudade."

"We'll think of something" Katherine said, eager to get them off of the subject. "Let's go, we're gonna start to prune if we're here any longer."

Back in the room both of the girls changed into sleep clothes and crawled into bed, snuggling into eachother to get a little bit of rest before the last stretch of road to Mystic Falls. Katherine kissed Tori's forehead and wrapped an arm around her side, rubbing her lower back under her shirt. Tori's breathing slowed and she eventually fell into a deep sleep in which she wouldn't wake until late the next morning. The hotel room buzzed quietly with the mixed sounds of Tori's breathing and the traffic from the street below the window. Big cities are alive all hours of the night which makes for bright lights and traffic sounds no matter when you try to sleep. The noise droned together into a hum and eventually Katherine too fell asleep, dreams plagued with vampire Tori tearing the throats out of a group of school children.

The next morning Tori woke up about ten minutes before checkout. She wouldn't have time for a shower, which was upsetting since her skin was sticky with chlorine from the pool, so she used a damp washcloth to clean up a bit when Katherine came out of the bathroom. She had woken up an hour or so earlier and showered herself, already dressed and packed to leave. Tori smiled as she passed her curly-haired girlfriend who smelled faintly of rose petals and spearmint toothpaste. Neither of them spoke for the first half hour or so, each spending the time getting ready to check out and hit the road one last time. Katherine went to the vending machine and grabbed a couple bottles of water to take with them while Tori finished packing. They met up in the hallway outside of their room and headed down through the lobby, turning in their room keys and saying their goodbyes. Tori grabbed an apple out of the fruit basket on the breakfast bar and rubbed it on her shirt before taking a bite, an action that reminded Katherine of the movies.

Light traffic allowed for quick travel and the pair arrived in Mystic Falls in the early evening. The wooded areas were a nice change to the desolate highway scenery and the colors brightened up Tori's mood considerably. Fresh greens from the trees and a multitude of other colors from the array of flowers made the town seem cheery and open, like a welcoming place. Katherine looked around with a poker face as they drove further into the town, not looking forward to the reunion with her 'friends.' Tori noticed her somber expression and placed a hand on her knee with the intent of comforting her. Katherine glanced over quickly and smiled one of those half-hearted smiles that doesn't reach the eyes before locking back onto the road ahead. Ten minutes or so after they'd entered town the Salvatore mansion stood proud in front of them. Tori took in the house from the outside with eagerness, relishing in the familiar Victorian style that Katherine's house was done in.

No sooner than they arrived on the doorstep the heavy oak swung open to reveal a stern faced Damon with drink in hand. He made a sour face at Katherine but raised a curious eyebrow at Tori, pointing to her with the hand his drink was held in.

"Who's this?" he asked, sipping from his bourbon.

"This is Tori, my girlfriend." Katherine said proudly, putting an arm around her waist.

Tori reached up and waved with a polite smile, taking in the man's piercing eyes and heavy stare. "You must be Damon."

"Whatever this bitch told you about me isn't true, I'm much worse." He smiled wickedly as he drained the rest of his glass, walking away from the door in a wordless expression of allowing entrance.

Katherine and Tori walked inside and took in the large sitting room. Katherine had been here plenty of times before so she strode right over to where the cart where the bourbon was kept, ignoring the face Damon made when she poured herself a glass of the expensive liquid. Tori nodded appreciatively at the large fireplace and two leather couches in front of it, noting that she'd probably sleep there if they happened to stay in this house. The dark walls and wood floors had a very similar feel to Katherine's house- her house as well, now- and it made the mansion seem all the more cozy. Damon sat idly with watchful eyes as Tori walked corner to corner to take in everything she could before they got down to business.

"What's with the human?" Damon asked Katherine in a hushed voice, eyeing her playfully.

Katherine scowled and downed her drink, pouring another just as quickly. "We met in Alaska and hit it off. We started seeing eachother, she found I'm a vampire when Stefan showed up in our hotel room and now we're here. Anything else?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders with indifference before crossing his arms over his chest. "You know those things never end well. Why even bother?"

"I'll do as I please Damon, you know that."

"Unfortunately you're right about that. I'm gonna go get some blood."

Damon disappeared into the cellar leaving Tori and Katherine alone. The fire crackled softly and made shadows dance on the walls, playing tricks on their eyes in such a big space. Bookshelves lined some of the walls and were packed full of books so old Tori imagined they must be first editions; a thought that eventually made her laugh since she realized that it was definitely a possibility due to the age of everyone around her. She was suddenly very aware that she was in a house with only vampires, in a town where no one knew who she was and none of her friends or family knew where she was, since the plan had changed at the last minute. She felt her pockets for her phone and pulled it out, flicking through her contacts to find her mom's number.

"I'm gonna go call my mom and let her know we've arrived. I haven't talked to her since we left Las Cruces so she doesn't know the plan changed."

"Okay, I'll be right here." Katherine said quietly, sitting on the couch with her drink and crossing her legs at the ankles.

The air outside was much cooler than it had been in the south. It was crisp and clean due to all the trees in the area and smelled faintly of fireplace smoke. Plumes rose from the chimney and spiraled into the clear sky that darkened slightly due to the increasing hour. Tori pressed the call button on her screen and waited three rings until her mom answered with a cheery voice.

"Hi sweetheart! How's everything going?"

"Hey mom. It's good, I just called to tell you that the plan changed and we ended up going up to Virginia. Katherine's friend was found so we went back to her hometown to see everyone since she was still worried about her." Tori felt a little uneasy about the lie but she figured her mom didn't need to know all the details, especially since the details weren't something easily told or received.

"Oh, okay sweetie. Do you know when you'll be back?" Mrs. Vega asked, with a hint of eagerness in her voice. Tori wondered if her mom was a little lonely without her around.

"We shouldn't be here more than a few days here and then a couple days back. Maybe a week or so?"

"Sounds good" Mrs. Vega said, pausing to take a drink of something. "We miss you around here. Gary said he wants to have you over for dinner when you come back."

Tori smiled and rolled her eyes. "Okay mom, I'll be there. I gotta go now, love you."

"Love you too honey. Say hi to Katherine for me."

"I will."

The sun was falling quickly now, casting a dusky orange across the treetops. Tori drank in the scenery for another minute before she went inside to find Damon back in the room, sipping happily from what looked like a hospital blood bag. Katherine had one of her own and she sipped off it gingerly, licking her lips and setting the bag to the side when she saw Tori reenter the house. Damon followed her eyes and nodded. The temperature was declining outside with the loss of sunlight and since it got colder in the north than Tori was used to she felt a little chilly, settling onto the end of the couch closest to the fireplace. She and Katherine exchanged smiles when she sat down and got comfortable.

"What did your mom have to say?" Katherine asked, crossing her hands over her midsection.

"She said everything's fine and to hurry back. She also wanted me to tell you she says hi."

Katherine laughed cheerily at the last bit, gaining a look of reprieve from Damon. "What? Her mom likes me, that's pretty cool. I've never met anyone's parents before."

"Yeah well we're gonna have to put that to the side for a little while as we figure out what the plan is." Damon paced the room slowly, hands in his pockets. "You said you saw Stefan? Where is he, then?"

"We were in Baton Rouge when we saw him but he took off before we crashed for the night, didn't say where he was going."

Tori sat in silence and watched the experienced vampires talk and work out a plan. Damon eyed Katherine with suspicion, which Tori felt must be a normal thing from what she'd heard about her relationship with the Salvatores.

"I've called him twice and he hasn't answered so he better be doing something useful or I'll stake his ass."

Katherine let out a bit of a laugh and grabbed the blood bag again, look in Tori's direction as she did so. "Do you mind?"

Tori was confused as she answered. "No, not at all. Why?"

"Well I just wasn't sure if it...disgusted you or anything." She looked embarrassed as she answered, especially since she knew Damon was watching and judging as she spoke.

"It doesn't bother me. I know you need it and it's just blood."

Damon rolled his eyes and took a couple steps towards her before speaking. "You seem really calm and 'okay' with the whole vampire thing. Why is that? Are you hoping she'll turn you?"

Tori blushed a little at the accusation in his voice, hoping that he wouldn't notice in the dim light of the room. "People see me as one kind of person. I like pop music and pink and dresses. You can call me a girly girl, because I really am, but that doesn't mean there isn't another side to me. One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is research serial killers. The dark side of human psychology has always been fascinating to me, but if you told one of my friends that I did that they would laugh in your face and tell you you had the wrong person."

Katherine held back a laugh and beamed with pride at the way her fragile, human girlfriend held herself against the big bad Damon Salvatore. Damon put on a bored expression and started rifling through papers on a table behind the couch Katherine was sitting on in an attempt to make it look like he didn't care, but Tori felt she could see a little surprise in him, and it made her feel good.

"Stefan said he's a little ways out and he'll be here in the morning." Katherine said, stuffing her phone back into her pocket.

Damon practically dropped his glass back onto the table, making a loud clanking sound that bounced off the walls. "Why the hell is he answering you and not me?"

"I don't know Damon, you'll have to ask him when he gets here." Katherine smirked and Tori saw the playful look in her eye, hoping that things wouldn't get out of hand between all of them with such high tensions.

A small space idle drumming around was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. Damon got up from the table and crossed the room to open it, revealing a tall dark haired young man that looked about their age. He wore a tight gray shirt with nothing on it and blue jeans with a pair of sturdy boots. His hair was trimmed short and his face was clean shaven, his eyes a bright yellowish orange color/

"Hybrid boy, what can I do you for?" Damon asked sarcastically, walking away once again in his standoffish way of inviting people in. Tyler Lockwood stepped into the house and shut the door behind him.

"I found out Klaus put one of our unsired hybrids on guard duty outside the room he's keeping Elena in."

The news struck a chord with Damon as his head snapped up and he looked rapt with attention. "Okay, so what's the plan?"

"There's a party tonight at one of the football players' house, everyone's invited. Caroline will be there which means Klaus will be there, which means you need to be there to keep an eye on him to make sure nothing goes wrong when we get Elena out." Tyler looked over and saw Tori then opened his mouth to speak again. "Who's this?"

"My girlfriend" Katherine said, standing up from the couch to go stand with her.

Tori crossed the room and held out a hand. "I'm Tori."

"Tyler"." He took her hand and shook it hard, almost crushing her fingers. "Are you...?"

"She's human" Katherine finished, her eyes boring into the back of Tori's head. "And I'd like to keep her that way."

"Fair enough" Tyler said, spreading his arms out wide in an understanding gesture. "You should probably stay home tonight. Klaus will be on the lookout and he's going to know something is up the second he sees you." He brought his hands together in a clap at the end of his sentence, letting his arms fall to his sides afterward.

Damon looked pensive and chewed the inside of his lip. "Wolf boy- my bad, hybrid boy- is right. He knows you have the sword and when he finds out you're in town he's going to know we're planning a coup. You should stay out of sight until we figure out how to use you properly."

Katherine snarled at him and Tyler held back a laugh. "I told you once I do as I please, but in this case you're both right. I have more than myself to worry about now."

Tori twisted side to side anxiously as all of the eyes in the room landed on her. She felt embarrassed being the only powerless human in the house but very safe at the same time, knowing it would take something extraordinary to get past all three of them to hurt her.

"Katherine, you've been gone a while so you don't know all of the new faces Klaus has working for him." Tyler said, pointing to her quickly. "You guys should stay inside since you don't know who to watch out for."

"We'll go to my house. Klaus doesn't know I'm here so we'll be fine." Katherine hooked her arm in Tori's and led her to the door. "Call me when the excitement starts?"

"Sure thing Countess Bathory." Damon sneered, earning a smile from Katherine as they disappeared through the door into the night.

The car ride to Katherine's Mystic Falls house was short. She parked the car in the garage and shut the door, making sure to keep all the blinds down and the light to a minimum so one wouldn't be able to tell someone was inside from a casual glance. Tori squinted as her eyes adjusted to the new light and was pleased to find a large fireplace like the one at the Salvatore's in the living room. Katherine went around lighting candles before she stopped midway, spinning the large torch lighter around her finger. Tori watched her peel her eyes in thought before standing up taller to deliver her result.

"I want to go to the party. Will you be my date?" Katherine asked, holding out her hand.

"I, uh, yeah. Aren't we supposed to stay out of sight though?" Tori took her hand and and dropped their arms down in between them.

"I rarely ever do as I'm told, it's much more fun to do whatever you want."

"Okay then" Tori said, turning toward the door. "Shall we?"

The party was held at the defensive captain of the football team's house. A large brick structure with a picturesque garden and back deck overlooked rolling hills that were clear for miles. Two full size kegs were set up at the bottom of the stairs in a help-yourself fashion, with a small laundry table loaded with solo cups. White christmas lights lined the top of the deck from one side to the other, casting a bit of soft light onto the yard. People danced to the music that pumped from the open windows and drank their fill. Katherine walked hand in hand with Tori into the front of the house, quickly passing through to the back where the drinks were kept. A few eyes lingered on Katherine as they walked through and they most likely mistook her for Elena, then wondered why she would be entering with another woman that none of them knew. Caroline was the first to spot them as she walked in from the kitchen. A look of half annoyance half fear distorted her features and she grabbed Katherine's arm to pull her into another room.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked harshly.

"I heard there was a party and my girlfriend was getting a little cooped up, so I figured I'd bring her out to have a little fun."

Tori smiled when Caroline looked her over. "I'm Tori, nice to meet you."

"Charmed I'm sure" Caroline replied, her face stern and voice quavering a little. "I swear if you screw up this plan I will-"

"Relax Barbie" Katherine interrupted, rolling her eyes nonchalantly. "If I see Klaus I'll make sure he doesn't see me."

"And what if he sees you first? What then?"

"I'll get him to follow me into the woods so you can get Tori and Elena to safety." Katherine inspected her nails as she waited for the next what-if to come her way.

"If this goes wrong because of you I'll stake you myself. I promise." Caroline smiled weakly at Tori before storming out of the room towards the keg.

Katherine saluted her behind her back and smiled a little, wrapping an arm around Tori's waist. "Let's go dance."

Outside the music continued and the bodies of a few dozen buzzed teenagers swayed side to side. All of your typical stereotypes were present; the jocks, the plastics, the drama geeks and the studious kids, as well as the stoners and the rednecks. They mostly kept with their own group but a few people from each melded together in a funny kind of semi-circle. Tori closed her eyes with her hands above her head, hips doing whatever they felt like, which at the moment was grinding up against Katherine's pelvis. Their intimate bump-n-grind wasn't unnoticed by the people around them who had casually moved a few paces out to watch subtly. Katherine wound her fingers through Tori's hair as the bass thudded in her chest, making her very aware of the thumping veins in her girlfriend's neck. She leaned in close and Tori inhaled sharply at the hot breath on her collar bone, remembering what happened last time they were in that position. Katherine planted a few kisses along her shoulder before sinking her teeth in, drinking slowly while onlookers just assumed she was trying to give a hickey. Tori's knees buckled a little and Katherine held her up while taking a few more sips. She licked the remaining drops clean before moving Tori's shirt back to rest where it should, kissing her lightly on the cheek. Tori grabbed Katherine's face and pressed their lips together full force, poking her lips with her tongue to demand entry. Katherine slowly abided and parted a bit, allowing the metallic taste to reach Tori's tongue as they swiped over eachother. The eroticism of the moment made the vampire in Katherine seep through her panties and onto her jeans, smiling as the crisp night air felt cool against her heated center.

Tori opened her eyes and realized that all of the people around them were staring so she cleared her throat and stepped back a bit, swinging her arms at her sides. Katherine chuckled softly at the bemused look the strangers held at their embrace. Once everyone realized they were finished the staring ceased and each went back to dancing or over to the keg to get another drink. Tori filled a second cup but Katherine declined, hoping to maybe find something stronger inside the house. They went inside together and checked a few of the rooms, running into some red-faced teenagers caught in the act. Finally they reached what must have been the boy's father's study and it contained a small decanter of scotch. Katherine poured a glass and closed her eyes appreciatively at the smooth, aged taste. Tori walked along the right side wall and admired the paintings that hung in sturdy frames. They were in the room maybe two or three minutes before the door opened again, making each of them jump a little. Katherine turned to make an excuse for being in there when her eyes fell on the last person in the world she wanted to see; Klaus.

"Ah, Katerina. How nice to see you again."

"Klaus." Katherine only managed the one word before he took several steps towards her, stopping just short of arm's reach.

"Fancy you showing up in the middle of a little situation I am currently in with your dear Salvatore brothers. Might I hazard a guess that your intentions are less than honorable?" Klaus reached forward and took the drink from Katherine's hand, downing the rest of it in one go.

"I'm just here to enjoy the party. Felt a little stagnant, thought maybe some drinks and dancing would loosen me up a bit." Katherine made a casual face and shrugged her shoulders to aid the performance.

Tori watched the new man carefully but didn't move or make a sound. After everything she'd heard about him she was in no hurry for him to turn his attention in her direction, but just as she exhaled the dirty blond reared his head and made eye contact.

"Now who is this magnificent beauty?" Klaus asked, walking over with his head cocked to the side curiously, taking in Tori's frame with appreciation.

"I'm Tori. Katherine's-" Out of the corner of her eye she saw Katherine shake her head ever so slightly and she took it as a sign not to say anything. "Katherine's friend."

"Friend." The word lingered on Klaus' tongue for a moment as his face turned to a wicked sense of amusement. "Just how friendly are you two?"

"That's enough Klaus" Katherine said, walking over to stand next to Tori. As she moved another man walked into the room and whispered in Klaus' ear, his form changing form amused to agitated immediately.

"I may have granted you your freedom Katerina but do not mistake my kindness for weakness. I am perfectly capable of snatching your life anytime I please, so you would do well to not cross me again. It's just come to my attention that matters of mine have gone awry and I must go attend to them. If I find out you had anything to do with this I promise you, my dear, you will regret it." Klaus left the room in stride and his hybrid followed behind him.

Tori breathed quickly and shallowly as she digested the threat. Klaus was indeed every bit as frightening as she'd been told and his words resonated in her heart. The thought that she would lose the love of her life over someone she'd never even met made her sad and even a bit angry. The anger channeled into a need for action as she finally spoke up. "Katherine, we need to go. I don't know for certain but I can make a pretty educated guess that Klaus is a man of his word and when he finds out about our plan we're-"

"Calm down Tori, it's all right." Katherine said softly, eyes blank in a stare that looked as though they didn't see anything around them. "We'll head back to my house and wait for Damon's call. The woman that owns the house is still alive so Klaus and his hybrids can't get in. You'll be safe there."

Tori grabbed her cup off the edge of the desk and drained it in hopes that the drink would calm her nerves a little bit. She looked down and saw that her hands were still shaking as Katherine presented another glass to her with a different liquid inside. Tori slugged it down and winced at the burn, breathing out hard to avoid the sharp afterbite. The golden liquid seemed to do the trick better and she quickly calmed down. Katherine took one more for the road and grabbed Tori's hand, pulling her out of the house without talking to anyone else. Caroline watched them go with a worried expression tailored to her thoughts of Elena's safety but made no move to stop them.

On the way back to Katherine's house her phone rang. Damon's voice could just barely be heard over the hum of the road, talking quickly before the phone went silent once more. Tori watched the trees go by out her window when the car slowed down and pulled a U-turn in the middle of the road, throwing her against the door roughly. Katherine heard the thump and looked over apologetically while slamming her foot down on the gas pedal.

"Sorry babe, we gotta get back to the Salvatore house ASAP. They got caught getting Elena out and the unsired hybrid that was helping them died in the process. Klaus knows she's gone, that's what he was pissed about in the study."

Tori bit her lip but didn't say anything at first, wanting to take a minute to explore their options. "Well, what can we really do now? Klaus is stronger than all of you and I sure as hell can't do anything to help. I don't even know this girl and from what you said before she doesn't like you anyway, so why can't we just go?"

The thought had crossed Katherine's mind but the hard truth of it was she was different now. "Sadly Tori you've made me a better person with all your kindness and loveable things you do. If this was a few months ago I would gladly have let Elena die if it meant I didn't have to get involved, but things have changed. I don't have many friends and the Mystic Falls group is the closest I'll get for a long time. If I can do something to help out maybe it'll make coexisting a little easier."

Tori watched her girlfriend drive the rest of the way to the Salvatore mansion with a smile on her face. Before they got out of the car she leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, lingering for a minute to breathe in her scent. "I love you."

"I love you too Tori" Katherine said, kissing her full lips once before getting out of the car.

On the way up to the porch a small noise made Katherine stop in her tracks, looking back and forth for the source. Nothing could be seen but a familiar voice made her blood boil when it hit her ears.

"I told you I would make you regret helping them Katerina." Klaus said, his voice calm but deadly. "I'm here to keep that promise." A blur of colors sped past her and was gone just as quickly, but to her horror she noticed that Tori was gone as well.

"YOU BASTARD!" Katherine yelled, balling her hands into fists as she charged towards the front door. Stefan flung it open and looked around wild-eyed.

"What happened?" he asked, stepping out onto the porch to peer into the trees on the side of the house.

"Klaus took Tori."

Stefan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, realizing they had just traded one human life for another. "Shit."

Inside the house Damon stood in front of the fireplace spinning the poker around like a staff. When he saw their faces he knew the outburst wasn't for nothing, and when the realization that the pretty girl from earlier wasn't with them he knew what had happened. He set the poker back into it's rightful place and sat down on the couch, head in his hands. "What are we gonna do about this?"

"We have to get her back" Katherine said immediately, her voice stern and edged with hate. "I can't leave her with him."

"We'll get her back" Stefan said calmly, rounding her to sit on the couch opposite Damon. "We need a new plan."

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes thinking until Stefan's phone rang.

"Hello? Okay. Yeah he found out, he took Katherine's girlfriend. I don't know. Home. No, stay there and protect Elena. We'll figure something out." He was silent for a minute as he listened. "That's actually a great idea Caroline, thanks. I'll be in touch.' Stefan hung up the phone and looked to Katherine with his news. "Caroline suggested we bait Klaus. We head to The Grill and act like we're planning out something big, naturally he'll have a few of his hybrids tailing us. We say the plan within earshot so they go to feed it back to Klaus and follow them to find out where he's hiding."

Damon raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Not bad, Barbie. But what's the fake plan?"

Stefan smiled. "We say that we'll offer Klaus a few blood bags worth of Elena's blood that he can use to make hybrids with in exchange for Tori. Make a meeting and send Katherine while we get Tori out of the house."

Katherine stood up immediately. "I'm game, let's go."

The Grill was filling up quickly with kids from the party coming to get some drunk munchies. Stefan, Damon and Katherine took a table off to the side, but not too far back to be suspicious. The server came around with three whiskeys and they got to talking. About fifteen minutes after they arrived two guys in hoodies and jeans showed up and sat a few tables away from them. The trio instantly sensed the two's wolf sides as they waved away the server, not wanting to actually order anything, but listen. They put on their best acting skills and pitched the plan, carefully watching the two men to make sure they were paying attention. Once the plan was all out the men got up together and left out the back door which Stefan followed them through closely. He made a phone signal with his hand meant to say he would call when he found out the address and for the two of them to get to Elena's house so Katherine could borrow some of her clothes.

She looked in the closet from outside the window since she wasn't invited in. Damon went through a few things and passed them out to her so she could drop down from the tree and change behind the house. After changing she ran some smoothing serum through her hair to knock out the curls and get that signature straight look Elena always wore to make the ensemble complete. Damon scrunched up his face at how amazingly exact the two women were, since if he didn't know any better he would fully think it was Elena Gilbert standing in front of him; at least until she said something.

Back in the car Damon's phone rang as Katherine drove, and when he looked at the screen he gave the nod that it was the call they'd been waiting for.

"Klaus buddy, how's it goin'? I was just getting ready to call you."

"Don't toy with me Damon. Where is the doppelganger?"

"She's right here next to me in the car. Why?" He rolled his eyes at an attempt of humor.

"I'm at the high school. Bring her to me so we can get this transaction over with and I won't have to kill all of you."

"Apparently someone has some nosy hybrids. We'll be there shortly." Damon hung up the phone and scowled.

* * *

Stefan waited in the trees while the hybrids went inside the large white house, returning back to the car in a very short time. He sensed something was wrong and just then one of the hybrids took out a phone.

"Yeah we're here. No one around, sir. Are you at the meeting? All right, we'll head to the rendezvous."

Stefan watched as the men from The Grill got back into the car and sped away from the house, leaving Tori inside unprotected. _Klaus must be pretty confident this time_ he thought. The door was unlocked when a test of it's turning ability proved successful, but the real test was if he would be able to get inside without being invited. He reached a hand forward and wasn't met with any force, so he stepped inside and sighed in relief when he was able to close the door behind him. The house was quiet and dark which would make finding someone a lot easier. He started on the ground floor and rounded into the kitchen. The marble countertops gleamed in the moonlight streaming in from the unblinded windows and screamed elegance. Everything was dark wood and marble, polished silver and nice china. Whoever had owned this house wasn't only wealthy, but also very proper. Stefan continued into the sitting room adjacent to the kitchen but it was void of human life as well. He made to head upstairs when a muffled sound came from a door to his right that he guessed led down into the cellar.

The stairway down was dark and twisted in spots, creaking loudly under his boots. He reached the basement floor and immediately noticed Tori tied to a chair in the far corner of the room. A few paces later she made eye contact with him and shook her head vigorously, eyes wide with fear. She kept glancing to the right and when Stefan realized she wanted him to look that direction he turned his head, hearing the voice before he saw the face.

"Stefan my boy. It's been too long."

Stefan slumped his shoulders. "Klaus. I should have known this was a little too easy."

"It pains me that you and your friends think so little of my intelligence. I've lived one hundred lives of men Stefan, I cannot be fooled that easily." Klaus walked out from the dark corner of the room to where Stefan could see him. "I would expect something like this from Katerina, but not from you."

"Everyone just wants to get back the people they love Klaus, that's all." Stefan said, holding his arms out in an act of submission. "No one has to get hurt."

"Now see," Klaus said, stepping forward a bit, "that's where you're wrong. Maybe if you had confronted me directly about all of this we could have come to an agreement. Instead you and your brother decided to conspire against me, and you expect me to be forgiving?"

"You aren't always the easiest person to persuade."

Klaus smiled and continued on. "No, I suppose not. But I am a man of my word, you can at least attest to that I trust?"

"Yes" Stefan answered slowly, aware that their conversation was leading up to something.

"I told our dear friend Katerina that there would be consequences should she betray me, and my promise shall come to fruition in this moment." Klaus slid a fang across his wrist, splitting it open so blood poured out. He reached over and removed the tape from Tori's mouth, replacing it with his wrist and forcing her to drink the warm life source.

"Klaus, you don't have to do this-"

"But I do Stefan, don't you see? If I let people get away with things and don't keep my word what kind of man would I be? I haven't lived this long to become soft." At the end of his sentence he grabbed Tori's head in both hands and snapped her neck, a loud cracking sound bouncing off the walls in the empty basement. He dropped her form and she slumped forward in the chair, blood dripping down her chin.

Stefan covered his face with his hands and licked his lips, not sure of what to do in that moment. "Well I guess you got what you wanted here."

"Perhaps, yet I still don't have everything I _need_. You have taken my doppelganger from me and I'd see her returned safely, and human."

"You'll have to talk to Damon about that one, I wasn't there when she was rescued." Stefan turned to head for the stairs but stopped once more at Klaus' soft voice.

"Don't underestimate me again, Stefan. Next time you'll pay a far greater price."

Katherine and Damon stood outside the entrance to the high school when the two hybrids made their way up to meet them. They made eye contact and Damon turned to Katherine with a skeptical look.

"What gives?" Katherine asked, directing her question at the man on the right.

"Klaus sent us here to retrieve the doppelganger."

"Why? I would think he'd want to do this himself."

"He said he had something else to keep an eye on. Where's the girl?"

Katherine took off full blast towards the car and got in, pulling away almost too fast for Damon to catch up. He slid into the car, albeit not very gracefully, as Katherine whipped it onto the street in the direction Stefan had left The Grill. One of the hybrids had a hold of Damon's leg but he managed to kick him off as the car squealed out onto the road, shutting the door quickly. Katherine took out her phone to dial his number and realized she'd missed a call from him. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the ringing pierced her ear.

"Hello?"

"Where is she Stefan?" Katherine asked, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Klaus was here. He fed her his blood and snapped her neck. I'm sorry Katherine."

Tears stung her eyes and threatened to spill over. "Did you get her out?"

"No, he's still there watching her. I'm guessing he's going to wait until she wakes up and force her to feed to complete the transition, unless you give him the sword."

"Great, just fucking great. We're headed to your house, I'll see you there."

Damon didn't have to ask to know what happened. The look on Katherine's face said it all with the anguish and promise of tears. She hammered on the gas pedal and the car drifted around the corners at high speeds, helping her vent her frustration a little bit. Once they reached the house they went inside and each had a drink, and then another. Stefan showed up and walked inside with his head down and hands in his pockets. He looked at Katherine apologetically and nodded, knowing there was nothing he could say to make her feel any better. She downed her second drink and threw the glass at the wall inside the fireplace, shattering over top of the flames. Damon made a face but chose not to voice his disapproval.

No one said anything for a long while. Elena was safe and being looked over at Caroline's house. Jeremy, Bonnie and Matt were at the party. Tyler was off with his pack. The rest of them were together in the house, but Tori was regrettably in Klaus' hands. All of Tori's friends were on the complete other side of the country, not to mention all human, so there wasn't much they could do either. The silence was thick and coated the room like a blanket. Katherine kept going through different ideas in her head of what they could possibly do to get Tori back, but there wasn't a whole lot of options. If Klaus was a regular vampire it wouldn't be so hard, but he was damn near impossible to kill and could take any of them out with one hand.

The thought eventually came to her that she would have to turn over the sword to get Tori back. She would be a vampire, but at least she would be alive. There were so many things she was about to go through, Katherine could feel physical pain in her chest knowing how hard her life was going to be for the next few years. She had everything from learning how to feed and control her emotions to leaving her friends and family behind. Dealing with the guilt of killing someone and learning how to deal with her new senses. It was all very overwhelming and they were both going to have to be strong for eachother. Shortly after Damon poured his fourth drink Katherine stood up and dialed a number on her phone, tapping her foot as it rang. When it connected she put it on speakerphone.

"Klaus, I'll tell you where the sword is if you give Tori back to me."

"Wise choice Katerina, but it's not going to work that way. You and your friends have deceived me once already so if there will be a trade it will be on my terms."

"Fine, what are they?" Katherine asked, looking up to make eye contact with Stefan as they waited.

"You give me the exact location, and when your precious girlfriend wakes up I'll take her with me to retrieve it. Once it's in my possession you can make the choice together if you want her to turn or die."

Katherine's heart sank when she realized what that meant. The sword was all the way in L.A which meant that they'd be cutting it very close. A human in transition only has twenty four hours to feed before they die. "Okay. It's in Los Angeles, I'll text you the address. You'll have to fly to get it."

"That's fine. For your sake I hope you're being truthful this time."

"I am. Call me when you get to the address and I'll tell you how to get it."

"Until then."

Katherine hung up and stuffed her phone back in her pocket, then laid down on the couch and curled her knees up into her chest. It was going to be a long wait.

The next morning came and Katherine was up before the sun. She paced back and forth in the living room and waited for her phone to ring, staring at the fire as it danced and lapped up the fresh logs she'd put in. During her pacing she turned on her heels to head back towards the door when Stefan showed up silently, blocking her path so she almost ran into him. He laughed quietly and sat down on the couch, leaning his head back like he wasn't fully awake yet. Katherine took comfort in someone else being awake with her. The waiting was excruciating but the thought that she wouldn't see Tori again was unfathomably worse. The sun rose quickly and just as she almost fell asleep on the couch again her phone rang, bringing her and Stefan quickly back to life. She jumped up off the couch and answered it.

"Yes?"

"Your ladyfriend is awake, I thought I would give you the chance to hear her voice before we board to remind you of what's at stake should you feel like crossing me again." Klaus handed the phone to a shaking Tori.

"Hello?"

"Oh god, Tori. Are you okay?" Katherine asked, her voice dripping with worry.

"I'm fine. Are you okay? I'm sorry this didn't go right."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one that got you into all of this. If I could have just left you alone we-"

"That's enough Katerina. We have to go now, I'll call you again when we reach our destination." He hung up before she had a chance to respond.

"What's up?" Stefan asked, clasping his hands together between his knees.

"They're boarding the plane right now. He said he'll call when they get there."

"All we can do is wait then."

Almost eight hours later her phone rang once again, although this time it was Tori instead of Klaus.

"Babe?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, it's me." Katherine said. "Are you at home?"

"Mhm. We just got here. Klaus wants to know where he should look for the sword."

"It's in the basement. Go down and there's a utility closet with a false wall in the back, it's hanging up behind it."

"Okay" Tori said, relaying the information to Klaus before following him down. "He wants me to hang up now. When he gets the sword back he'll probably me here so hurry home, okay?"

"I will baby, I love you." Katherine closed her eyes as she spoke, willing for Tori to survive this ordeal.

"I love you too."

Down in the basement Klaus had spotted the utility closet and opened it, then poked at the wall to find out how it removed to reveal its secrets. Tori watched as he prodded and pulled and eventually separated the inside wall, discarding it to his left. The wall on the inside stood bare; no sword hung where Katherine said it would be. Klaus balled his hands into fists and laughed loudly, throwing his head back and turning the laugh into a growl. He turned to face Tori and his eyes glowed a yellowish-green. "Your bitch of a girlfriend lied to me, again. She obviously doesn't care about your life or she wouldn't put it in danger so often."

Tori made a face but kept her resolve. "She loves me, I know she does. If she lied to you again there must be a good reason."

"Oh I plan to find out." Klaus said hotly, storming past her to head back up the stairs.

* * *

Katherine bit her nails as she waited for her phone to ring again. Stefan eyed her thoughtfully and eventually spoke, trying to diffuse the tension in the room.

"You had to lead him off, there was no other choice. If he gets the sword we're all dead, and who knows what he'll end up doing to the humans."

"Yeah, but now Tori's in transition because of me and probably won't survive the day. I'm going to lose the most important thing that's ever happened to me, and for what? So I can keep living an eternity alone in _la douleur exquise_? What kind of existence is that?"

Stefan looked down at the floor and didn't say anything. Katherine quickly realized her mistake and made to cover it up so there wouldn't be any bad blood.

"I'm sorry, that was wrong. I know you're going through a thing with Elena and I'm probably not helping sitting here looking exactly like her, but there's not much we can do about it right now."

"I know" Stefan said, shaking his head softly. "This is a complicated situation. I hope Tori survives, I really do. Vampire or not it's better to have the person you love around than to live without them."

The two of them spent the next hour and a half sitting around not doing much. Damon woke up and joined them wordlessly, reading from some of the old books that were stashed all throughout the house. Katherine was worried that she hadn't heard from Tori or Klaus; he definitely would have found out the sword wasn't there within minutes of entering the house. Each minute that went by made her more nervous of what kind of trouble Tori could be in. Images of Klaus torturing her flashed through her mind but she forced herself to push them away, willing herself to stay away from those types of thoughts. It was almost three full hours after the first phone call that her phone rang again, scaring her back into reality.'

* * *

Klaus paced back and forth in the living room, setting Tori on edge. She wasn't sure what he was going to do about the sword not being where it was supposed to be. They had just flown clear across the country on what was turning out to be a wild goose chase. She wasn't sure why Katherine would do this to her if she cared about her so much; leaving her in the hands of this ruthless vampire that could crush her whole body to dust without blinking. She watched him pace silently and tried to remove herself from the situation. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen, there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Klaus crossed into the kitchen Tori by herself, wondering what he was up to. He looked over the house and all of the things inside it to get a feel of how the two women were together in their normal lives. In his search he stopped at the refrigerator, combing across the many pictures that adorned the face. He noticed one person that was present in quite a few of the pictures so he called Tori into the kitchen to ask who she was.

"This girl, what's her name?"

"Jade. Why?" Tori asked, suddenly fearful that things were about to get worse.

"Call her and invite her over, now."

"What if I don't?"

"I'll snap your neck right now and leave you dead in the middle of the floor for Katherine to come home to. How about that?" Klaus asked angrily.

"Fine, calm down. I'll call her." Tori pulled out her phone and dialed, hoping that her friend wouldn't pick up the phone. Much to her dismay she answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Jade, it's Tori."

"Yeah no shit, my phone does have a screen." she said sarcastically.

"Can you come over? I'm home now and kinda feel like hanging out."

Jade sat up straight and got excited. "Yeah, what time?"

"Now is good" Tori said, frowning as she realized what was going to happen. "Actually-"

Klaus snatched the phone from her hand and crushed it before she could say anything else, effectively rendering the phone useless. She hoped Jade would try to call back to confirm and when she didn't answer she would forget about it.

As luck wouldn't have it there was a knock on the door about a half hour later. Tori walked over and let Jade inside with a half smile and wave. "Hey."

"Hay is for horses. How was your trip?"

"Not bad, some parts really bit though." She smiled at her own joke but it quickly faded. "How's it been out here?"  
"Hot as hell, as usual. I can't wait til mid September when this shit stops." Jade walked in and sat down on the couch. "Where's Katherine?"

Tori's heart raced when she saw Klaus looking at her out of the corner of her eye, shaking his head no very gently. "She's uh, at the store picking up some groceries."

"Ah."

Klaus bounded into the room with a smile on his face and sat down on the couch next to Jade, putting his arm around her. She instantly made to jump up but he held her down, looking up at Tori as he did so. "So Tori, introduce us then love. Don't be rude."

Tori shuddered and pointed to the blond before speaking. "Jade this is Klaus, Klaus this is my friend Jade."

"Splendid" Klaus said, nodding to the girl next to him. "How do you do?"

"I'm fine, but I'd be better if you got off of me. Tori what's going on? Who is this guy?"

"He's uh," Tori stalled, not sure what to say, "one of Katherine's cousins."

Klaus smiled hugely at the last bit and almost started laughing. "I'm just a goofy bloke from across the pond. Nice to meet you."

"You too. Now get off of me."

"What's the matter love? Don't you find me attractive?" Klaus jested, raising his eyebrows two times in quick succession.

Jade made a disgusted sound and wriggled out from underneath him. "No, I don't. I like girls."

"Oh, much like your friend here then. Have you two ever, you know?"

Jade blushed and Tori's blood boiled, shooting Klaus an angry look. "Knock it off."

"Oh come now don't be such a downer, I'm just taking the piss. Now, Tori: Do you want to bite first or shall I?"

Tori's face drained of all color and she felt like she was going to be sick. She had been getting weaker as the day went on but the prospect of having to kill one of her best friends, that actually happened to be in love with her, made her feel so much worse. What an awful betrayal that would be. Klaus smiled at the little game he had started and Tori realized he was the first person she had ever truly hated. Jade's eyes widened as she looked back and forth from Tori to Klaus, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Tori, what the fuck? Biting? Don't you still have a girlfriend? This is getting really fucked up, you need to tell me what's going on."

"Jade I-"

"Now now dear" Klaus cut in, getting to his feet and lifting Jade to hers, "no need to be rude. We're all friends here."

"Seriously stop touching me or-"

Klaus gripped her wrists hard and stared into her eyes, speaking slowly and clearly. "Shut up. Now tell me the truth, how do you feel about Tori?"

"I'm in love with her" Jade spat instantly, tone void of emotion.

"Ah, very good. And what would you like to do to her right now?"

"I'd like to make her feel how she makes me feel."

Klaus bit his lip in silent laughter. "And how is that? Details, love."

"I think about her all the time, especially when I'm alone. When I go to bed at night or when I'm in the shower in the morning, I have dreams about having sex with her. And I touch myself."

"Fantastic. Isn't that great, Tori?"  
Tori had tears streaming down her face as she stared at Klaus with bitter contempt. "Leave her alone Klaus, let her go."

"But we're finally getting somewhere!" he exclaimed, bending down to plant a kiss on Jade's cheek. She slapped him and stepped back but he just laughed it off. "Now the fun really begins. You have a choice to make Tori: Either feed on her until she's dead to complete your transition, or watch me tear her apart and paint your walls with her blood."

Jade's eyes welled with tears as she made eye contact with Tori, seeing that this wasn't a joke and she was going to die. Tori's body wracked with sobs as she watched the malice gloss over Klaus' face. He looked positively cheery at the whole situation and Tori felt sick to her stomach.

"You have ten seconds to make your decision before I rip her arm off of her body."

"Fine, I'll do it." Tori's words were barely understandable as she choked them out. Her throat was thick with crying and she wasn't sure she could do anything in this state. Jade looked so innocent and scared, and she was going to die for no reason. Katherine had led them here with the promise of Klaus getting what he wanted but she had lied. Everything that was happening now could have been avoided if she just told the truth, and all the warnings she had given Tori about her selfish past had finally come to light. Tori stepped forward and looked Jade in the eyes as hard as she could, reaching out to take her hands. "I'm so sorry Jade, I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"All I wanted was just to see you." Jade said quietly, tears rolling down her own face. "I've been in love with you for so long that I would have met you in the middle of the desert for no reason with only an hour's notice. I have no idea what's going on but I'm scared and I just want both of us to get out of here."

"Enough stalling, Tori. Do it now or I will. Actually, wait one second." Klaus walked over and took Jade's arm once more, bringing her face to face. "Beg for your life while she drains it from you."

Tori wrapped her arms around herself to keep from falling apart. She didn't think she was going to survive the next few minutes of her life, but she knew she had to go through with it. It was either her draining Jade slowly and painlessly or Klaus ripping her to pieces in the most painful way possible. She stepped forward and wrapped Jade up in a hug that poured out all of her emotions. Jade hugged her back and pecked one single kiss onto her neck, lingering for the smallest second that made Tori's heart shatter into pieces. She couldn't handle it any longer and bared her fangs, sinking them into Jade's neck quickly. The blood started to flow and she felt herself getting stronger almost immediately, Jade's body buckling a little bit as she drank.

"Tori, please stop. It hurts."

She ignored the voice and tried to stay in her own head, hoping she'd be able to indulge in the bloodlust and not have to hear it.

"Please Tori I love you, don't do this. I'm sorry." Jade's tears poured onto Tori's cheek as she fed and her own tears mixed with the blood from Jade's neck, creating a salty metallic taste on her tongue.  
"Please, I don't want to die. Don't let me die." Her pleas got weaker and further in between as she slipped away in Tori's arms, eventually going still. Tori dropped slowly to her knees and laid Jade down on the couch as she finished sucking every bit of blood out that she could, staying in the crook of her neck after she was done to hide her shame from the world around her. Klaus clapped his hands and spoke when he realized she was finished.

"Very good, love. You'll make quite the beautiful vampire. Now to call your girlfriend and tell her what you've done." Klaus dialed the number and smiled when he heard his favorite vampire's voice on the other end.

* * *

"What now, Klaus? Did you find the sword?" Katherine asked, hoping he would believe that it was stolen from her house.

"You know very well it wasn't there Katerina. I warned you what would happen if you crossed me again."

Katherine squeezed her eyes closed and hoped that Tori was okay. "Did you really think I was just going to hand it over? Who knows what you'll do when you get your hybrid army. None of us want to find out."

"Believe me, I will find that sword. I'm an extremely patient man, if you've forgotten. Your girlfriend isn't doing so hot on the other hand. You'll probably want to come home soon."

"What did you do to her?" Katherine asked, acid in her voice.

"All I did was suggest she invite a friend over to help pass the time until you came to your senses and told me the truth, but when she got here Tori went and bled her dry."

The tears that had been stinging Katherine's eyes finally spilled over and the scene set Stefan and Damon both on edge; neither of them had ever seen her cry before.

"Anyway, I'll be back in Mystic Falls tomorrow so either be ready to give me what I want when I get there or be gone." Klaus hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket.

* * *

Tori sat huddled over Jade's body without moving. Klaus smiled at the sight and made to head for the doorway, turning to face her once more before he left.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Tori. I always get what I want, and whoever crosses me will deal with the consequences. Your precious Katherine knew that, yet she led you here anyway. You should rethink your alliances while you wait for her to return." Klaus passed through the door and closed it softly behind him, leaving Tori completely alone.

**A/N: Anyone still reading?**


	6. Chapter 6

**(Sorry for the double post, my formatting screwed up cause I saved it wrong. My bad.)**

The feeling of warm blood gliding down her throat had long gone but Tori couldn't find the will to move. Jade's body still lay on the couch, lifeless and pale. Klaus was long gone as well but the enormity of the situation made it feel like he was still in the room. The sun had set and dusk filled the sky with colors that reflected happy feelings, something Tori was unfamiliar with at the current moment. Her arm lay softly across Jade's midsection as she sat next to her on the floor. The girl wasn't coming back but the thought of actually disposing of her body made the acid in Tori's stomach bubble into her throat. Obviously she couldn't leave it there much longer since decomp would make the house unlivable, not to mention having a body in your house is never a good idea in the first place. Finally hours after the grisly scene had ended the new vampire rose to her feet and picked Jade's body up off of the couch. She cradled her broken human form as she walked down the hallway that led to the room with the doors and vase she'd discovered earlier, resolving to head to the basement to break the body down for disposal.  
At the bottom of the old stairs leading to the musty basement Tori pulled the string attached to the light, flooding the room with a yellowish glow. An empty table stood between her and the workbench that held some tools and a few other things like motor oil and WD40. She set Jade's body on the table and ran a soft hand over the features of her blank face. Her eyes were still open a bit and the icy blues stared straight up at the ceiling, unseeing. Tori slid her fingers over the lids to make it look like she was sleeping and quickly turned away to the workbench to get started on what she knew needed to be done. She grabbed the sawzall and brought it to the table but had the second thought to make sure the body was completely dry before starting. The pale skin was pallid and unappealing but Tori bit into the same spot she had earlier, sucking hard to make sure all of the blood was gone and wouldn't make a mess in the house. She didn't taste anything and stopped immediately, turning to plug the power tool in and test it out to make sure it worked. It whirred to life in her hand so she set to the task, gritting her teeth in a bitter hatred for Klaus and a black spot in her heart where Katherine used to reside.  
Once she was finished creating pieces she brought them upstairs and prepared to burn them and catch the ashes to later scatter over the water. The time she spent waiting for the second part of this horrible task was brutal. Her mind shot back and forth between having to leave her family and the rest of her friends behind and Katherine and the others in Mystic Falls. A time would come when everyone she knew and loved was dead and she was going to have to deal with that, but the thought of dealing with more death felt like it was going to tear her apart. Her insides burned with Katherine's betrayal. She could taste the deceit and lies on her tongue like a bitter drink that could hardly be choked down and she wanted nothing more than to just curl up in a ball and disappear. The new senses she'd acquired made the smell of burning flesh even worse and the inside of her nose burned, another reason to be pissed at her so-called girlfriend. Traffic went by and people down at the pier laughed and kissed and carried on like nothing had happened while Tori was stuck burning the remains of her friend, an innocent girl in the prime of her teenage years taken from life by someone she trusted, even loved. Remembering the conversation the two of them had made Tori's heart hurt. Jade had poured out all of her emotions on the table only to be shut down, even thought Tori didn't mean to be hurtful. She had meant what she'd said about the girl's timing being awful; if she'd said something a month before that they maybe could have had something special. Now, she was dead and it was Tori's fault. She was a monster now, something to feared and hated. Katherine said there would be repercussions to the transformation but she couldn't see those things in her mind when she dreamed about what it would be like to be superhuman. The promise of heightened senses and super strength drowned out the bloodlust and murder that inevitably came with vampirism.  
When the task was complete she took the jar which she'd collected the ashes in out the back door to the edge of the sand. The waves lapped up around her bare feet and the warmth of the water was calming to her shocked extremities. She walked out a dozen paces until she was up to her waist and then spun in slow circles, dumping the ashes all around her. The gray powder mixed with the salt water and disappeared bit by bit while Tori swirled some of it around with her index finger, tears finally falling as she said a silent goodbye to a friend. The moon shone brightly overhead and created a beautiful image with the stars and glow from the pier rides, another thing that Jade loved. After a few minutes of silence Tori waded back up the beach to the house, stripping on the deck before heading up to the bathroom connected to the master bedroom to take a shower. All she wanted to do was clean herself up and try to get some sleep.

The events of the day had really taken a toll on her as she didn't wake until almost three PM the next afternoon. Tori rolled over on the large bed and settled into what would have been Katherine's spot before she felt a horrible stinging pain in her arm. Her eyes shot open and she realized smoke was rising from her skin as it reddened and bubbled. A scream tore from her throat as she pulled her arm out of the sunlight, shocked and wild from being woken up so suddenly. A quick whooshing sound and Katherine was next to her on the bed.  
"What's the matter?" she asked, looking at Tori with concern.  
"It...burned me. I guess I forgot about the sunlight thing." As soon as she spoke it registered that she was talking to Katherine; she had finally come back. "When did you get back?"  
"This morning" Katherine said, biting her lip gently. "I got the earliest flight I could when I found out what happened. Tori I'm so-"  
"No." Tori interrupted, staring at Katherine with cold, hard eyes. "I don't want to get anywhere near this right now. Yesterday was the worst day of my life and I just woke up from the worst sleep I've ever had. I just want to be alone."  
Katherine closed her eyes and nodded her head, her face noting the pain in her chest. "Of course. I'll go stay somewhere else for a while." She got up and headed towards the bedroom door, stopping when she grabbed the handle. "I went to the hospital this morning and got a supply of blood bags for you, they're in the fridge."  
"Thanks" Tori said shortly, not making eye contact.  
"Call me whenever you're ready, or if it's just to tell me you're leaving and not coming back. I won't fault you if you do." With the Katherine disappeared silently through the door, shutting it behind her.

Tori felt like crying again but she'd exhausted all of her tears the day and night before. She cried all through the night, tossing and turning every few minutes to try and get relief from the crushing guilt that was killing her. Every time she closed her eyes Jade's face swam to the surface of her mind and wouldn't go away no matter how much she willed it. Her jet black hair and piercing blue eyes scrunched in a smile that took up her whole face reminded Tori of how beautiful she could be, when she wasn't being mean. Hour after hour passed by as Tori lay in bed, not wanting to move or do anything that required her brain. Eventually, though, the burn in her throat alerted her once more to her need of blood so she made her way downstairs to find the blood bags Katherine had left for her. She pulled one out and tore it open and drank, letting the thick liquid regenerate her body and mind. It was late in the afternoon but the sun would still be up so she made a note to stay away from the windows, but upon further inspection she realized Katherine had lowered all the blinds before she left. A nice thought. On her way out of the kitchen Tori spied a small box on the counter with a note next to it that she grabbed before heading back up to the bedroom. She sat on the bed and crossed her legs with the note in both hands, smoothing it open to be read.

_Tori,_  
_That day we went to the shop where I picked up that 'thing' I had a plan to make sure you would be safe. I told you about the witch that works there and what they can do, and by opening this box you'll understand what it is. I figured if you were going to be any bit close to me, which I really hoped you would be, that there was a chance something bad would happen and I wanted to be prepared. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this and I really hoped if it did it would go differently, but life's circumstances can't always be predicted. I'm leaving this here so you can put it on in case you want to go see your family or just get out of the house. Being cooped up can really get to us. I really do love you, I promise. My phone is with me at all times so please call or even text me if you can, I want to know if you're okay._  
_Forever and always,_  
_Katherine_

Tori opened the box and her eyes fell upon the daylight ring that lay inside it. A platinum band that was thin on the bottom and got thicker towards the top housed a diamond that sparkled brilliantly even in the dim light of the bedroom. Smaller diamonds surrounded it on both sides, and the whole thing was very beautiful and very expensive looking. She slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand and held it out to watch it sparkle, then folded the note back up and set it and the box on the bedside table. With her new ring on hand Tori got up again and headed down to put her shoes on and head out for a walk to get some fresh air. Down near the entrance she noticed a pair of brown boots, Katherine's that Tori had always loved, sitting next to the bench. She smiled a little and put them on to see how they fit, giggling when she realized they were perfectly sized.  
Outside the air was thick but cooling down a bit as September had rolled in and brought the fall wind with it. The pier was in full swing since it didn't close down for another couple of months and the streets were packed with teenagers and families alike. Bars were full of drunken friends sloshing their drinks down their fronts as they laughed about memories from school or something funny they'd seen on television. Groups of teens hung out in different clusters, making eyes at other groups to point out a girl or guy someone had a crush on to initiate one of the multiple week-long romances teenagers go through.  
Somewhere in the distance a couple could be heard making out against a chain link fence and the heartbeats got louder as she kept walking. The pounding resonated inside her head and the quickened breaths set her own pulse on a crash course for flat line. After rounding a corner Tori spotted two teenagers crushed together in an embrace between two buildings, the scene heating up with each passing moment. She could see them but they couldn't see her through the thick darkness that swept over this part of the neighborhood. The smell of sweat and hot breath was driving Tori's senses wild and the need to feed was stronger than it had ever been despite the blood bag she'd consumed right before leaving the house. Miraculously she was able to pull away from the situation and keep walking full circle around the block without attacking either one of them. Their hormone-infused night of passion would end with a happy note.  
Back at the house Tori headed upstairs and got into bed once more, the emptiness of loss coursing through her again without pity. She hadn't even gotten a chance to see her family or friends and make some sort of a goodbye but it already felt like she'd lost them. So many years would go by and she would have to leave this place and start anew as Katherine had done so many times before. How many times had she watched people she'd gotten to know die? It was true that Katherine wasn't the friendliest person in the beginning, from what she'd heard, but there had to have been people she'd befriended over time. The witch who spelled the ring Tori now wore on her hand for example. The thought of having to start a new life over and over again was exciting at first with the possibility of being a different person every time, choosing who you want to be and what you tell people about yourself, but eventually the loneliness and loss would have to get to you somehow. That was the part that Tori was worried about the most. She rolled over and pulled the blankets up to her chin, snuggling into Katherine's side of the bed. She missed her girlfriend terribly due to the heightened emotions of her new vampire state but the grief over Jade and the betrayal of Katherine's lie bit at the back of her throat, making it difficult to get anything into perspective. A few minutes later sleep enveloped her once more to hopefully give a couple hours of peace.

The next morning started just as the previous except for the presence of Katherine in the house. Tori managed to get out of bed only two times; once to go to the bathroom and once to head downstairs and bring up a few blood bags to keep next to her bed. She succeeded in staying in the room for the better part of three days, moving around at the end of the third day only because of a phone call from her mom. She looked at the caller ID when her phone rang and when 'Mom' showed up on the screen she instantly panicked, not knowing what she should do or say in this situation.

"Hi mom."  
"Hey sweetheart, where are you guys at?" Mrs. Vega tried to sound cheery but the worry in her voice was evident.  
"We're, uh, still in Mystic Falls. Katherine was having trouble with her friend and we decided to stay a little longer to try to work things out. Her friend had a bit of an accident so she's having a hard time coping and we thought having more friends around might speed up her recovery."  
"Oh well that's very nice of you" Mrs. Vega said, calming down a little at the explanation. "Do you have an idea when you'll be coming back?"  
"I'm not sure yet" Tori said, biting her lip as she looked towards the window. "I'll have to ask Katherine when she gets back from the store."  
"Okay, call me sometime and let me know how everything is going."  
"I will mom. Love you."  
"Love you too sweetie. Gary and Trina both say hi."  
"I believe Gary did so tell him I said hi back, but Trina probably hasn't even noticed I'm gone."  
"Your sister loves you Tori." Mrs. Vega said with a condescending tone.  
"I know mom, I'll talk to you later."  
"Bye honey."

Not long after her mom called she received a text message from Beck.

_Hey Tor, just wondering if you've heard from Jade. No one's seen her in a few days and we're really worried. I know you're gone and everything but I just thought maybe she called you or something. Let me know. -Beck_

The message sent a shiver down her spine and her stomach rolled over itself, making a gurgling sound that was probably loud enough to be heard downstairs. Tori quickly dialed Katherine's number and after it rang once she hung up, panic causing her to be indecisive. She wasn't sure if seeing Katherine right now would make her feel better or worse, but she knew that she couldn't deal with this situation alone and her girlfriend was the only person that could help her right now. A few quick taps and the phone was ringing again, picked up half way through the second ring.

"Tori? Are you okay?" Katherine sounded worried.  
"No, I'm not okay. My mom just called and wants all these answers and Beck just texted me asking where Jade is and I can't take all of this right now." Tori rambled everything off in quick succession until she was out of breath.  
"Okay love, how can I help?"  
"What do I do?" Tori asked, the plea for help made her sound pitiful. "I'm new to this whole thing and I have no idea what to tell everyone. I killed one of my best friends and disposed of the body and now everyone is looking for her and I'm afraid if I see my family I might hurt one of them and-"  
"Whoa slow down babe, everything's going to be okay." Katherine spoke slowly and calmly to try and help Tori level herself out. "I can come back home now if you want me to."  
Tori hesitated for a minute or so before answering. "Yes, I want you to come home."  
"I'll be there in an hour or so. I love you."  
"I love you too." Tori said, shaking as she disconnected the call.

The next hour and a half was very tense. She waited for Katherine to get back by pacing in the sitting room with Katherine's favorite piano music playing in the background. The music was soothing and very peaceful but it wasn't enough to calm her nerves, something she needed very badly. Her teeth clenched together so hard her jaw was sore and her fists were balled up so tight she couldn't move her fingers when she unwound them. Just when the tension was about tantamount to a hurricane Katherine appeared in the doorway, flinging a bag to the side before crossing the room in a few strides to pick Tori up in her arms. They held eachother tight as Tori's chest heaved a fresh batch of tears. Katherine stroked her hair and hummed softly into her ear to try to soothe her a little but she knew what the guilt of a kill felt like in the beginning, and since her kill happened to be a friend this wasn't something she was going to get over quickly or easily. They stood there for what must have been a half hour before Katherine picked Tori up and carried her soundlessly up the stairs, laying her down on the bed gently then crossing to the other side to lay next to her. Time got lost once more as they laid entwined in eachother's arms for almost a day and a half. Tori finally came out of a silent stupor and looked up into Katherine's eyes, pleading for some kind of magical workaround that would make everything okay again.  
Morning light shone through the reopened curtains of the bedroom window as the sun rose once more. Katherine got up and went to grab a couple blood bags for breakfast to help get Tori on her feet. When she returned the pallid brunette was sitting up on the edge of the bed with eyes pointed out the window. Her features reflected a melancholy feeling that Katherine knew all too well. She sat down next to Tori and set the blood bag meant for her on the bed between them and tore open her own, sipping gingerly while she waited for her girlfriend to speak. Tori reached down and grabbed her breakfast then tore into it the same way except she slammed it down in record time, closing her eyes at the way the blood made her body feel relaxed and normal again.

"Katherine?"  
"Yes?"  
"Why did you lie to Klaus?" Tori asked, her voice so low and soft it wouldn't have been heard by human ears.  
Katherine took a deep breath before starting. "Well, as you know Klaus killed my whole family to get back at me for turning. He wanted to use the blood of the doppelganger to create a hybrid army that would do his bidding because of the sire bond, which is why I ran from him for so many years. He would have bled me dry and tossed me in a ditch just so he could have what he wanted. I went on the run and eluded him the best I could for a number of years before I realized what I had to do.  
After I turned and Klaus found out he was irate, to say the least. He made it a mission to end my life if he ever found me again since I had screwed up his plan. Fast forward some hundreds of years and in comes Elena, the new doppelganger. Klaus finds out about her and tells me that if I deliver her to him I'll be forgiven and allowed to live freely and without fear. I was so tempted to do it but I realized that even if he told me I was free his hybrid army would cause so much havoc that it wouldn't be worth it, so I didn't.  
I found out he had a sword in his possession that led to a 'cure' for vampirism. Everyone was trying to get it; Klaus, Rebekah, Stefan and Damon, all for different reasons. I figured if I could get the sword and hide it somewhere Klaus would never find it without me alive and I'd have a bargaining chip against him, so I spent some time finding out where it was and stole it. Needless to say he vowed to kill me once again when he realized it was missing but I was long gone from Mystic Falls and he had other things to worry about. I hid the sword here in the house, just not exactly where I told you it would be. Klaus is such an evil bastard at the core of his being, I don't think you really understand what he's capable of. He's lived over a thousand years, killed more people than you've ever met and then some. He doesn't feel human things like love and loss, he's all about himself and getting what he wants and it doesn't matter who he hurts along the way.  
I knew he wouldn't outright kill you because that would be too easy, the whole thing with Jade is much more his style and I'm sorry that I didn't think about that before I let you go with him. I kept the sword from him to protect all of us, I hope you can see that someday. I know it doesn't do much now to appease your inner demons but those feelings will get less intense over time, it just takes a little while. I'll be here every step of the way if you want me to be, though, I promise."  
Tori shook her head yes in an 'OK' manner and turned to face her girlfriend. "All right, I guess that makes sense. I'm still new to everything and I have to understand that there's some things that need to be done in order to keep a so-called balance and I'm okay with that. I just wish you would have been straight with me."  
Katherine smiled and pecked a light kiss onto Tori's lips. "I would have love, but you forget that Klaus can compel other vampires. I didn't want you to be stuck in a situation where you had to tell him anything."  
"One step ahead of me I see?" Tori jested, standing up to stretch her limbs.  
"For now anyway."

This day was when they would call Tori's mom and tell her that they'd arrived home. Katherine was fairly sure she would be okay around her family as long as no one had any accidents. Both women got up and headed to the walk in closet to find something nice to wear for a sit-down dinner at the Vega residence, insisted on by Gary when they returned. Tori picked out a tight fitting black dress that stopped half way down her thighs and some black heels that matched while Katherine chose a dark red dress that flowed behind her like celebrities you see on the red carpet. She adorned matching red heels and diamond earrings that sparkled just as brilliantly as Tori's ring in the ever-increasing light of day. They sat next to eachother at the desk in front of the large vanity mirror and did their makeup, occasionally helping eachother with little bits and pieces along the way. When everything was perfect Tori called her mom and announced they would be heading over in a little while to hang out a bit before dinner.  
Katherine had flown home so her BMW was missing, making Tori wonder how they would manage to get to her mom's house. When they got downstairs she looked out the front door and saw a jet black Audi in the driveway that looked brand new. She turned around and saw Katherine watching her with a playful look, waiting for her to ask where she'd gotten it.  
"So? Where'd it come from?" Tori asked, hands on her hips.  
"There's an Audi dealer near the airport. I took a cab there and compelled one of the salesmen to give me the car for twenty bucks."  
"What did the manager say?"  
"Well he was about to protest but I compelled him too, so by the end he was very excited to see me drive off with it." Katherine winked and pulled the keys out of her pocket, hitting the unlock button on the keychain remote.  
"You're hilarious" Tori joked, hooking her arm inside Katherine's. "Let's go."

The Vega household was exactly as Tori had left it. The TV was on in the living room even though no one was watching it and Trina's voice could be heard coming from upstairs, gabbing into her phone about some new guy she was stalking. Mrs. Vega appeared from the laundry room with a huge smile on her face and ran across the room to pick her daughter up in a huge hug. She squeezed and squeezed until Tori pried her arms out from around her and smiled. Mrs. Vega turned to Katherine and made a little squeaking noise before taking her into a hug as well, an act that made Katherine smile warmly at being accepted into a family.

"I've been waiting for you to come back for so long!" Mrs. Vega exclaimed, heading into the kitchen to start dinner. "Gary's been getting sick of me talking about it. I want to hear everything, so spill."  
"Well we drove a lot, more than anything really. Stopped a few times to sleep in a hotel room so we didn't get tired on the road and grabbed food when we needed it. Made it to Mystic Falls, hung out for a little while." Tori gestured to Katherine. "Katherine helped her friend out while I got to know some of the others. Went to a party and danced for a few hours, talked to some more people and then drove back."  
Mrs. Vega gave one of those 'mom' looks like she knew there was a lot more to the story that her daughter wasn't telling her, but also knew she wouldn't get it out of her. "Sounds like a good time sweetheart. I'm glad you guys made it there and back safely. Thanks for looking after her Katherine."  
"Anytime." she replied, smiling at Tori before sitting down on the couch.  
Gary came in the front door with a bag in his hand that contained one yellow onion and a bottle of A1 steak sauce. He beamed at the girls when he saw them and shook his head appreciatively at their outfits. "Hey you two, you look great. Glad to see you made it."  
"Hey Gary" Tori said, smiling politely even though the situation was still awkward for her. "Yeah we got back last night."  
"Everything go okay?" he asked, pulling the contents out of the bag and setting them on the counter before placing the reusable shopping bag in the broom closet.  
"Yep, no snags this time." Tori saw Katherine hide a smirk from the corner of her eye and tried not to laugh.  
"Good good. I hope you're hungry, I'm about to fire up the grill in a few minutes."  
"Starving" Katherine said, and this time Tori couldn't stop the squeak of laughter that escaped her lips.  
"Me too."

While Gary manned the grill Tori and Katherine sat at the kitchen table with Mrs. Vega and played cards. A few favorites like Old Maid and Go Fish all the way up to Blackjack had them laughing and carrying on, which eventually caused Trina to come out of her room and down to join them. She had a scowl on her makeup-adorned face and it looked like she had just finished a particularly sour conversation. Tori eyed her sister suspiciously as she busted her hand of Blackjack and when Trina noticed she was being scrutinized she put on a winning smile to cover it up. Katherine followed Tori's eyes and smiled up at Trina when she made her way to the table, reaching up to cast a polite wave in her direction.

"Who are you again?" Trina asked, sitting down on one of the empty chairs.  
"I'm Katherine."  
"She's my girlfriend." Tori said proudly, beaming at her partner when they made eye contact.  
Trina nodded slowly and chewed her bottom lip. "That's right. You just here for dinner or what?"  
"Yeah. I'll probably pack up some more of my stuff while I'm here though, get it over to the house and not waste a trip."  
Mrs. Vega smiled but the sadness behind her eyes was just barely visible. Tori reached over and laid a hand on her mom's wrist and squeezed gently, trying to convey the love and respect she held for her. Katherine smiled at the gesture but kept her head down as to not ruin the moment, but Trina wasn't as subtle as most people and glossed right over the delicacy of the situation.  
"There was a lesbo chick in my theater arts class last year. She was always complaining about something and said she never got the same chances other girls did because the teacher hated gay people or something. I tried to tell her nobody likes a crybaby but she didn't listen."  
Tori shook her head and Katherine stifled a laugh while Mrs. Vega closed her eyes gently. That was Trina though, cluelessly abrasive and tactless.

Gary came in moments later with a plateful of steaks and riblets that had everyone's mouths practically watering. Tori knew better from her talk with Katherine that the smell and the taste would be two very different things now and she wondered if she would be able to keep anything down in front of her family. Katherine gave her a nod of assurance and mouthed a silent 'I love you' before turning her head around to smile at Gary. He placed the plate down on the middle of the table while Mrs. Vega got up and grabbed the sides to go with it, and Trina got up to set the table after a glance at her younger sister having googly eyes with her girlfriend said she wasn't going to do it anytime soon.  
Katherine cut into her steak and took a bite immediately, smiling and giving a thumbs up to the chef as she pretended to savor the flavor. Tori almost laughed at her professional acting skills but knew she had to keep her mind on the task if she was to hope for anything close that performance. She cut a piece and dipped it into steak sauce before tearing it from her fork, and instantly the bitterness made her jaw lock up. A cough pushed up from her throat but she managed to keep it down by stealing a glance at the girl next to her, willing herself to be just as strong. Tori swallowed the bite and nodded at Gary to show her appreciation, which seemed to be enough for him. Finishing the rest of the meal was going to be a task but the thought of this maybe being the last one she would have with her family gave her the willpower to push through.

The TV was still on in the background and the news anchor alerted to more breaking news to which everyone turned around to watch.

_"Another three purse snatchings reported in the last forty eight hours makes the total of reported thefts upwards of twenty five to thirty in the last week alone. Local police say the outbreak of purse snatchings came after a paper was published detailing how many people carry a lot more cash these days than they used to due to identity theft and credit card fraud. This area alone has seen a seven hundred percent rise in petty crime in the last month and the total loss combined is estimated to be around five thousand dollars. A composite sketch has been created by a police sketch artist based on eyewitness accounts and the police are asking if anyone has seen something to please call the crime stoppers hotline."_

Gary shook his head and pulled out his phone to rifle off a text to his boss, reminding Tori that he was a cop by day.  
"Any news on this guy?" Tori asked, making casual conversation to lighten the mood before they split.  
"Not much I'm afraid." Gary answered, looking up when he was done with his text message. "We've had a lot of conflicting eyewitness reports so the composite sketch isn't even really that accurate. The Chief has put out extra patrols at night but we're stretched pretty thin as it is so we're doing the best we can."  
"I'm sure you are. It sucks that people feel like they can take whatever they want and get away with it."  
"Well everyone gets caught sooner or later. If not by the law, then by the guilt." Katherine stuffed her hands into her pockets after she finished speaking and Gary gave her a very understanding nod.  
"Smart girl." he said, garnering a smile from Katherine.

When everyone was done they sat around the table letting their food digest as they talked about things going on. Trina texted away on her phone and Mrs. Vega gave her a dirty look but it didn't dissuade her from her actions. Tori shook her head again, as she seemed to do a lot with her sister, then turned her attentions back to her mom. She was making eyes with Gary and the uncomfortable feeling rose in Tori's stomach again, making her look away and pout a little. She thought she was okay with everything but the jumbled state of emotions she was experiencing made her understand otherwise. Katherine noticed her state and excused herself from the table, grabbing Tori's hand as she stood.  
"Show me your room?"  
Tori looked up and snapped back to reality at the prospect of leaving the room. "Yeah, sure."

Tori's room was exactly as she'd left it, not a pillow or picture out of place. Clothes still lay on the floor next to the laundry basket and notebooks from school scattered the top of her desk. She hadn't realized until now but she really missed the familiar feeling of the room. It had everything she owned in it and was the place she'd grown up in her whole life. All of her memories from childhood up to a couple weeks ago had retired in that room when she laid her head down at night. The pictures of her and her friends from school lined the walls in a collage style, taking up most of the space so you could hardly tell what color the walls were underneath. Posters of bands and movies covered the other walls along with certificates and medals she'd received from school. Katherine made her way around and looked at all of the pictures individually, picking out the group she'd met that night on the beach, and especially the pale girl that was now gone. Tori moved to stand next to her girlfriend and realized what she was looking at when the pain and guilt washed over her again.

"I can't believe I killed her. She was horrible to me from the day I started Hollywood Arts and I always thought maybe it was because I did something to piss her off, but all the times I asked her she never said anything about it. I didn't understand for the longest time how she could be so horrible to me for no reason, and when they came over to go swimming that day I got my answer."  
"When she said she loved you." Katherine finished, grabbing Tori's hand to link their fingers together.  
"Yeah, I guess now it makes sense that you could hear us" Tori laughed, wiping away tears with her free hand. "I had no idea what to say to her and she just looked at me with those amazing blue eyes and I just..."  
"I understand" Katherine said softly, bringing her into a hug.  
Tori squeezed into Katherine and the strength of the hug helped relieve some of the pressure in her chest. She felt weak and clouded over, like the guilt from Jade's death was slowly creeping over her and if she didn't move quickly she would never be able to escape it. When Tori stopped shaking Katherine tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in to whisper. "Feed on me."  
Tori's breath hitched and she was perfectly still for the space of a few heartbeats before she bit into her girlfriend's neck. Katherine whimpered at the feeling and tangled her fingers in the back of Tori's hair, pulling her in closer to in a fit of love and lust. Tori was the only person she had ever shared such raw feeling with on every level and to be close to her emotionally and physically was a kind of ecstasy she'd never experienced. Tori fed and with each pull Katherine felt her knees get weak, her center heating up and tingle each time Tori sucked. They pressed into eachother harder and Tori's whole body felt like it was on fire as she drank. The blood of her lover coated her mouth and throat and the taste was more heavenly than she could have ever imagined. The moment was cut short when Trina pushed the door open to bring in a dufflebag, freezing in horror at her sister's face as she whipped around to see who had intruded on them. Her fangs stuck out and blood coated her lips, her eyes black with veins visible along the sides. Trina took a step back but Tori flew forward with vampire speed to wrap her up before she could run out of the room. She made eye contact with Trina and spoke with purpose.  
"You will forget what you just saw. You came in to give me this bag and then left quickly. Understand?"  
"I understand."  
"Now go."  
Trina turned around and headed out of the room, closing the door tight behind her.  
Katherine sat on the edge of the bed with her thighs squeezed together tightly, trying to relieve some of the pressure that had built up during their moment. Tori saw her and noticed immediately as a smile spread across her face.  
"Did I get you going, lover? Sorry."  
Katherine growled at her with lustful eyes. "I'm five hundred years older than you, dollface. Don't fuck with me."  
Tori grinned so hard she thought her lips would split open as she grabbed the bag off the floor. "Well well, aren't you miss bossypants. Help me pack so we can get home quicker."

An hour or so later Tori had grabbed the rest of her clothes and all of the pictures off the walls and stowed them away in the bag Trina had brought her. She hauled it downstairs where her mom, Gary and Trina were all sitting around doing their own thing. Trina looked up momentarily but didn't say anything as she went back to her conversation.

"All right mom, I think we're gonna head out now." Tori said, rounding the couch to give her a hug. "I wanna get this stuff home and put it away."  
"Alright hon" Mrs. Vega said, bringing her daughter into a tight hug. "You're always welcome here, remember that. You too Katherine."  
"Thank you Mrs. Vega" Katherine said, clasping her hands together in front of her belt buckle.  
"You girls by safe now, I don't want you out after dark with this little shift in crime we have around here. Wait til it dies down a bit before you start taking walks again." Gary nodded at Tori and stuck out a hand to Katherine, who shook it and smiled.  
"Nice to meet you for real" she said, returning her hand to her front, "and thanks for dinner."  
"You're welcome. Come back anytime."  
"Bye Trina" Tori called out, standing in the open doorway with her bag in hand. "Thanks for the bag."  
"Yeah whatever, bring it back when you're done." Trina said, not looking up from her phone.  
"Love you too, sis." Tori took one last look at her house and the people inside. She wasn't sure when she would be back, if she would be back. They were going to have a hard time dealing with it when she was gone, but it had to be done since explaining was dangerous and she couldn't go back to being human. Katherine put a loving hand on her shoulder and guided her out to the car so as to keep her from falling on weak knees. Every step they took felt like a thousand miles and the separation had already started to cause a pain in her chest. Tori turned and looked at the outside of the house, trying to memorize everything about it before they drove away into the night.

Back at their own house Katherine turned on the music in the sitting room and relaxed on the couch. Tori took notice and laid down next to her with her head in Katherine's lap. They sat in silence for a time until the music faded away and the stillness of the house got to be a little too much. Tori sat up and rubbed her hands on her knees in a nervous gesture just for something to do while Katherine rubbed the small of her back. An owl could be heard outside the back window as well as the waves that lapped against the sand. Tori instinctively got up and walked through the back door to sit again on the steps that led down to the beach, digging her toes into the sand. Katherine followed behind and the silence was broken when she spoke up, breaking Tori out of her trance.

"I want you to come away with me."  
"Where to?" Tori asked, absentmindedly playing with the lights that were strung around the deck.  
"Bulgaria. I want you to see where I'm from." Katherine smiled at the funny look she got from her girlfriend.  
"Okay, when do you want to go?"  
"Tonight, now, tomorrow, next week. I don't know, it doesn't really matter. Whenever you're ready to get moving around again."

Tori felt the warmth in her chest spread out to her limbs and she knew that her love for Katherine would last a lifetime. This beautiful, courageous woman with chestnut locks and caramel eyes that so mimicked her own had a place in her heart that couldn't be budged. She grabbed Katherine's hand and held it tightly as if her other half would be her guiding light through her new life as a vampire. The stars came out slowly as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, leaving the waves a flat black and bringing peace over the neighborhood. Tori turned and looked at Katherine full on, intent on just taking in her features in the absent lighting as they sat together at the beginning of something new and exciting. Their eye contact sent shivers through both of their spines and suddenly the space between them was unbearable. Katherine closed the gap and pressed her lips hard to Tori's, tasting her tongue when she was gratefully admitted entrance. Once the kiss broke Tori leaned her head on Katherine's shoulder and they stared out in the distance together with hopes that the next sixty years or so wouldn't be too horrible.

"Wherever you want to go is fine with me." Tori said, closing her eyes to shut out the world.

**A/N: Well then, that's the finish line right there folks. Thank you to everyone who followed this story and encouraged me to continue, I had a lot of fun with this pairing and I think I'll write some more of them in the future. It was kind of an odd story since I didn't write the first chapter with any plans of a continuance, so I apologize if it seemed weird and out of place. Also for all of you that were shocked about Jade's death: ding dong the bitch is dead! Hooray! No but really, I liked that scene and I hope it came across as powerful to read as it was to write. Feel free to check out anything else I've written in the mean time and let me know what you think if you have time to spare.**


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